Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
- Images
Lung collapse - spontaneous
Symptoms
- Sudden
chest pain or chest tightness- Chest pain may be dull, sharp, or stabbing
- Breathing or coughing makes pain worse
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid respiratory rate
- Abnormal breathing movement
- Splinting -- bending over or holding the chest to protect against pain
- Restricting chest wall motion when breathing (protection against pain)
- Cough
Signs and tests
The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to the lungs and breath sounds.
The following tests may also be done:
Chest x-ray - Arterial blood gases
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Spontaneous pneumothorax Treatment
Review Date: 02/27/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary,
CriticalCare & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine,
New York, NY. Reviewprovided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
