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Medical Author:

Christopher P Holstege, MD

Coauthor:

Nathan P Charlton, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Pleurisy Symptoms

You can have many symptoms with pleurisy.

• Chest pain: This is the most common symptom. The pain is generally a sharp, stabbing pain, but may also be a dull ache or a burning sensation. It is usually worse when you take a deep breath, cough, or move around. The pain is usually better if you take shallow breaths or lie on the side that hurts. Chest pain is what usually causes people with pleurisy to seek medical attention.

• Cough: You may get a cough, depending on the cause of the pleurisy. Your cough may be dry or productive of sputum or blood.

• Shortness of breath: The shortness of breath associated with pleurisy may be due to the underlying cause, such as a blood clot in the lungs or pneumonia, or it may be due to the chest pain caused by breathing.

• Fever: You may also get a fever, depending on the cause of the pleurisy.