The condition known as empyema, also known as pyothorax or purulent pleuritis, is characterized by the accumulation of pus in the pleural space, which is the region between the lungs and the inner surface of the chest wall. Pus, a fluid made up of immune cells, dead cells, and bacteria, cannot be coughed out of the pleural space.
When pneumonia, an infection of the lung tissue, occurs, empyema typically follows.
CAUSES OF EMPYEMA/PYOTHORAX
There are numerous bacteria that can cause pneumonia, but the two most frequent ones that cause empyema areStreptococcuspneumoniaeandStaphylococcus aureus.Medical equipment may occasionally introduce bacteria into the pleural cavity, leading to empyema after chest surgery.
The pleural space naturally contains some fluid, but infection can cause fluid to accumulate more quickly than it can be absorbed; this infected fluid then thickens; this can cause the lining of the lungs and chest cavity to stick together and form pockets; this is known as an empyema; and the lungs may not be able to expand fully, which can cause breathing difficulties.
RISK FACTORS
Empyema is relatively uncommon, occurring in less than 1% of children with pneumonia in one study, but it is the most common cause of it in children and older adults. Having pneumonia is the biggest risk factor for empyema.
Our likelihood of developing empyema following pneumonia can also be influenced by the following conditions:
- Bronchiectasis
- respiratory condition known as COPD
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Alcoholism
- Diabetes
- Weakened immune system
- Surgery or recent trauma
- Lung abscess
SYMPTOMS OF EMPYEMA/PYOTHORAX
The complexity of an empyema can range.
Simple empyema
Simple empyema is a type that develops in the early stages of the condition and is characterized by freely flowing pus.
- Shortness of breath
- Dry cough
- Fever
- sweating
- breathing through chest that hurts like it’s being stabbed
- Headache
- Confusion
- Loss of appetite
Complex empyema
Complex empyema, which develops in the later stages of the disease and has more severe inflammation, scar tissue that divides the chest cavity into smaller cavities, and loculation, which is more challenging to treat, are all possible outcomes.
A pleural peel, which is thick and prevents the pleura from expanding and requires surgery to remove if the infection worsens, can form as a result of the infection.
The following are additional signs of complex empyema:
- Difficulty breathing
- Decreased breath sounds
- Weight loss
- Chest pain
COMPLICATION OF EMPYEMA/PYOTHORAX
Sepsis and a collapsed lung, also known as a pneumothorax, are the more serious complications that can result from a case of complex empyema in rare cases.
- High fever
- Chills
- Rapid breathing
- Fast heart rate
- Low blood pressure
Shortness of breath and sudden, sharp chest pain that worsens with coughing and breathing can both be signs of a collapsed lung.
DIAGNOSIS OF EMPYEMA/PYOTHORAX
- The presence of fluid in the pleural space can be seen on chest X-rays and CT scans.
- The quantity and location of the fluid will be revealed by a chest ultrasound.
- White blood cell count can be elevated when one has an infection, and blood tests can help check this number, check for C-reactive protein, and pinpoint the bacteria causing the infection.
- The fluid sample obtained during a thoracentesis is examined under a microscope to look for bacteria, proteins, and other cells. A needle is inserted through the back of our ribcage into the pleural space.
HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT FOR EMPYEMA/PYOTHORAX
ARSENIC ALBUM :Useful for cough that worsens after midnight, lying on back, useful for hemoptysis with pain between shoulders, useful for empyema when patient is unable to lie down, useful for fear of suffocation with a feeling of constriction in air passages, and useful for all-over burning heat.
CALCAREA SULPH :Very helpful for empyema when pus forms in the lungs or pleural cavities. Useful for cough with purulent and sanious sputa and hectic fever. There is mucus yellow, thick, and lumpy mucus discharge.
KALI SULPH :Useful for post-grippal cough, especially in children, bronchial asthma, and yellow expectoration in empyema with profuse, intermittent, yellow, mucus, and serous discharge. There is rattling of mucus in the chest.
MERC SOL :Useful for empyema with spasmodic cough (whooping cough), which causes two paroxysms to occur quickly and are triggered by tickling in the larynx and upper chest at night. During the day, there is no cough, but there is expectoration of acrid yellowish mucus, occasionally mixed with coagulated blood and smelling foul or salty.
SILICEA :Recommended for cough with expectoration during the day that is bloody or purulent. Useful for empyema with cough and sore throat.
SULPHUR :It helps with loose cough, which is worse talking and in the morning, and empyema with oppression and a burning sensation in the chest. It also helps with breathing difficulties and the desire for windows to be open.
RL – 32 :For Every Kind of Cough
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