Diseases

Fluid In The Chest

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A pleural effusion is an unusual amount of fluid around the lung. ... In pleural effusions, fluid builds up in the space between the layers of pleura. Normally, only teaspoons of watery fluid are in the pleural space, allowing the lungs to move smoothly within the chest cavity during breathing.

SYMPTOMS

Pain areas: in the chest
Pain types: can be sharp
Respiratory: fast breathing or shortness of breath
Also common: coughing

CAUSES

The pleura creates too much fluid when it's irritated, inflamed, or infected. This fluid accumulates in the chest cavity outside the lung, causing what's known as a pleural effusion. Certain types of cancer can cause pleural effusions, lung cancer in men and breast cancer in women being the most common.