Collapsed Lung Symptoms

The respiratory system provides oxygen to our heart. It consists of the lungs, airways, and respiratory muscles. Any problem in the lungs can result in one feeling instantly uncomfortable, as it not only affects the respiratory system but also directly affects the blood circulatory system. A collapsed lung is one such ailment, which can result in not just some discomfort, but in serious cases can be life-threatening too.

Medically termed as pneumothorax, it is a condition in which air gets filled up in the portion between the lungs and the surrounding wall of the chest cavity. Any injury to the chest wall or hole in the lung can cause the air to enter.

The lungs cannot expand to their normal levels due to the amassing air which exerts pressure on them. Lung diseases like asthma, tuberculosis, whooping cough, pneumocystis pneumonia or connective tissue diseases can lead to collapsed lungs. Tall and thin people are more prone to this condition.

There are two types of collapsed lungs―simple and tension. Simple pneumothorax is a partial collapsed lung, which is caused spontaneously or even can be a cause of underlying lung infection or some asthma problem. Everyday atmospheric changes or even loud music can be a cause for a partially collapsed lung, which is not very severe.

On the other hand, tension pneumothorax is severe, and causes for this can vary, from inherent lung diseases like lung cancer, diseases of the airways, stab or gunshot wounds, smoking, drug-use, unhealthy lifestyle, to a minor or major traumatic accident resulting in injury to the ribcage, or lung puncture.

Partially Collapsed Lung

• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Chest pain
• Shoulder pain

Severe Collapsed Lung

• Breathing problems, especially rapid breathing
• Severe chest pain
• Swelling on chest
• Easy fatigue or lethargic feeling leading to body pain
• Enlargement of the opening of nostrils

• Blue or purple coloration of skin due to inadequate supply of oxygen
• Falling blood pressure
• Protruding veins from the neck
• Confusion
• Falling respiratory rate can lead to shock and even coma
• Death, if emergency treatment is not provided in severe cases

Any kind of respiratory problem is a cause for alarm. So, even a slight breathing problem under normal circumstances should make you rush to the doctor, or else you may be in serious trouble later.

A partially collapsed lung can be difficult to analyze, as it happens spontaneously, but decreased breath sounds on the affected side if listened through a stethoscope can give a rough idea of simple pneumothorax.

A chest X-ray, computed tomography (CT Scan), and ultrasound help in confirming the details like location and size of pneumothorax, alongside differentiating large air sacs in the lungs from an actual collapsed lung part.

A partially collapsed lung doesn't require any surgical treatment. With simple medications it gets better over a period of time, but a constant watch is advised through X-ray detection to prevent it from turning severe.

The treatment depends on various factors like the size of pneumothorax or any inherent lung infection. It can be treated using the medical procedure called aspiration or insertion of a chest tube, which helps in reducing the size of pneumothorax. In emergency cases, it is treated using needle decompression, which causes the accumulated air to escape.