Pleural Effusion Treatment Specialist in Hallandale Beach, FL

While several doctors can provide pleural effusion treatment, the particular type of physician specializing in treating pleural effusion and similar conditions is a pulmonologist or a doctor who is board-certified in pulmonary medicine. Here at Dr. Luis J. Mesa, MD, we are happy to treat pleural effusion under the expert guidance of Dr. Mesa, who is board-certified in pulmonary medicine, in addition to critical care medicine, internal medicine, and sleep medicine. Dr. Mesa has over 20 years of experience in treating and providing skilled medical care for a diverse variety of medical conditions, including pleural effusion. As such, you can trust his expertise and care when you come to our clinic for pleural effusion treatment.

If you have pleural effusion, it is helpful to eat a balanced, healthy diet, exercise regularly, reduce stress, get enough sleep, and avoid smoking or anything that causes your blood pressure to rise.

As for medical treatments for pleural effusion, your doctor could prescribe any of the following, depending on the severity of your condition and the success or lack thereof from other treatments:

• Medication, including antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medicine, diuretics, or steroids, depending on the cause of the patient’s pleural effusion
• Thoracentesis, in which a needle is inserted into the pleural space between the lungs and chest wall to drain excess fluid
• Tube thoracostomy, also to drain the excess fluid but through a chest tube instead of a needle
• Surgery, when other treatment methods have proven to be ineffective
• Chemotherapy and radiation, when cancer is the cause of the patient’s pleural effusion

The severity or type of pleural effusion factors into recovery rates from pleural effusion significantly. With minor pleural effusion, patients can typically recover in a few days or weeks with minimal treatment. However, for patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE), recovery is less likely, as most patients require chemotherapy and have life expectancy rates of three to 12 months. That said, the majority of pleural effusion cases are benign.

There are numerous illnesses and conditions that can cause pleural effusion, the most common of which include the following:

• Cancer
• Congestive heart failure
• Cirrhosis
• Inflammatory disease
• Kidney disease
• Lung infections
• Pneumonia
• Post open heart surgery
• Pulmonary embolisms

While minor pleural effusions often go away on their own, others can lead to severe complications, such as a collapsed lung. As such, it is usually in your best interest to get checked out if you are noticing any signs of pleural effusion in case treatment is required. Symptoms of pleural effusion include cough, difficulty breathing, fever, as well as sharp chest pain when coughing, sneezing, or taking a breath.

If you require the services of a pleural effusion specialist, we welcome you to come to Dr. Luis J. Mesa, MD, in Hallandale Beach, FL! If you wish to schedule an appointment with us, you can do so through our website or call us at (305) 440-4499 during the hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM from Monday to Thursday. You can find our clinic at 1250 E Hallandale Beach Blvd Suite 205 A, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. We serve patients from Hallandale Beach FL, Aventura FL, Hollywood FL, Golden Glades FL, Miramar FL, Hialeah FL, Fort Lauderdale FL, and BEYOND.