What are the signs and symptoms of pleural effusion?
The most common symptoms, regardless of the type of fluid in the pleural space or its cause, are shortness of breath and chest pain. However, many people with pleural effusion have no symptoms at all. When the parietal pleura is irritated, the patient may have mild pain that quickly passes or, sometimes, a sharp, stabbing pleuritic type of pain. Some patients will have a dry cough. Occasionally a patient will have no symptoms at all. This is more likely when the effusion results from recent abdominal surgery, cancer, or tuberculosis. Tapping on the chest will show that the usual crisp sounds have become dull, and on listening with a stethoscope the normal breath sounds are muted.
