Sports boy suddenly feels chest tightness

A few days ago, I suddenly received a call from a friend. The other end of the phone said hurriedly: "The child was playing basketball with the coach. Suddenly, he felt chest tightness and couldn't breathe. The coach asked me to take him to the hospital for a check-up." Based on my understanding of the child's body shape and the mother's description, the preliminary judgment was that he had "pneumothorax"!

1. What is pneumothorax?

The normal pleural cavity is a closed potential space without air. If gas enters the pleural cavity and causes gas accumulation, it is called pneumothorax. As the amount of gas in the pleural cavity increases, the pressure will also increase, squeezing the lungs and eventually causing the lungs to be compressed and collapsed, resulting in symptoms such as chest tightness and shortness of breath.

2. What is the cause of pneumothorax?

1. Chest trauma, direct injuries such as violent blows, fractures, etc., and indirect injuries such as medical operations on the chest that cause the pleural cavity to communicate with the outside.

2. Lung diseases, such as intrathoracic infection and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, can cause lung tissue damage and lead to pneumothorax.

3. Rupture of bullae. Once the bullae located at the apex of the lung rupture, outside air enters the pleural cavity and may cause pneumothorax.

4. When using an artificial respirator, if the air supply pressure is too high, pneumothorax may occur.

5. Inducing factors: strenuous exercise, coughing, lifting heavy objects or raising the upper arms, weightlifting, straining to defecate, etc. can easily induce pneumothorax. When coughing violently or straining to defecate, the pressure in the alveoli increases, causing the original damaged or defective lung tissue to rupture and cause pneumothorax.

6. Other factors, such as smoking, can also induce pneumothorax; 50% to 60% of patients with pneumothorax still have no obvious triggering factors, and about 6% of patients even develop the disease while resting in bed.

3. What are the symptoms of pneumothorax?

When a pneumothorax occurs, the lungs are unable to expand normally during breathing, resulting in difficulty breathing and chest pain. Patients with mild cases may have no symptoms, while patients with severe cases may have symptoms that appear quickly and are more severe, and may even lead to shock.

4. Treatment of pneumothorax?

1. A small amount of pneumothorax has little effect on respiratory function, and conservative treatments such as bed rest and oxygen inhalation can be used to repair and re-expand the affected lung.

2. When there is a large amount of pneumothorax, the pressure in the pleural cavity compresses the heart and blood vessels, causing an increase in heart rate, a drop in blood pressure, and even shock. Sometimes respiratory failure may occur due to displacement or swinging of the mediastinum. Therefore, when pneumothorax occurs, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible and take closed chest drainage or surgical treatment according to the situation.

3. Daily life: Patients with pneumothorax should rest in bed more often and take medication to relieve symptoms if necessary. Pneumothorax is more common in tall and thin men, so strengthening nutrition and physical fitness can avoid or reduce the occurrence and recurrence of pneumothorax.

4. Prevention: Actively preventing and treating lung diseases, quitting smoking, etc. can prevent the occurrence of pneumothorax.

Finally, I want to tell you something. If you suddenly feel chest tightness and shortness of breath, don't wait or panic, call 120 as soon as possible, and you will be guaranteed medical treatment. First, stay in bed, then breathe oxygen, and then drain. If it doesn't work, try minimally invasive surgery. Choose the treatment according to the situation, and wholeheartedly protect the health of the people. I am good at public health first. (Author: Wang Wenwen)