Pneumothorax

When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor if you have symptoms of a collapsed lung, especially if you have lung disease or have had a collapsed lung before. Even if your symptoms seem to improve, call your doctor. Some people with a collapsed lung notice that chest pain and shortness of breath improve in the first 24 hours, but the lung is still collapsed.

Prognosis

Once a collapsed lung has re-expanded and healed, there is usually no long-term effect on your health. However, up to 50% of people have a lung collapse again, especially within a few months of the first one. To decrease the risk of a second collapsed lung again:

• Stop smoking.

• Avoid changes in air pressure, such as from flying in unpressurized aircraft or scuba diving.

Additional Info

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) 6701 Rockledge Drive P.O. Box 30105 Bethesda, MD 20824-0105 Phone: (301) 592-8573 http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/

American Lung Association 1740 Broadway New York, NY 10019 Phone: (212) 315-8700 Toll-Free: (800) 586-4872 http://www.lungusa.org/