# Confusion between pneumonia and pleural effusion



## onecrazykid108 (Jul 9, 2010)

My professor said pneumonia is fluid in the lungs, but my book says pleural effusion is fluid in the lungs. Whats the difference?

Did my teacher make a mistake?


----------



## lightsandsirens5 (Jul 9, 2010)

> My professor said pneumonia is fluid in the lungs, but my book says pleural effusion is fluid in the lungs. Whats the difference?
> 
> Did my teacher make a mistake?


 
Nawwww.......you got a slight misunderstanding there.

Pneumonia is an innflamation of the lung(s) usually accompanied by alveolar fluid build-up, i.e. "fluid in the lung(s)" Can be either viral, bacterial, parasitic, and occasionnaly idiopathic.

Pleural Effusion is a build-up of fluid in the pleural space surrounding the outside of the lungs. It is usually caused by other pre-existing conditions; bacterial pneumonia, cancer, PE, left ventricular faleure, etc.

Both are bad.


----------



## clibb (Jul 9, 2010)

lightsandsirens5 said:


> Pleural Effusion is a build-up of fluid in the pleural space surrounding the outside of the lungs. It is usually caused by other pre-existing conditions; bacterial pneumonia, cancer, PE, left ventricular faleure, etc.



The fluid would be one of the reasons why these conditions are misdiagnosed???

My friend's mom's doctor diagnosed her with the flu when she actually had a Pulmonary Embolism... He didn't do any tests, just looked at symptoms.

When my aunt was at the hospital in Sweden after a Brain Aneurysm, she was telling my father she was experiencing great pain when she breathed in and out. Also she was coughing a lot (fluids). Of course my dad asked me what I thought it was. Being taught to think the worst; I thought PE. He called the nurse and he told my father to not tell him how to do his job... The nurse called back after some testing and confirmed PE. 
Of course I would never tell someone how to do their job unless they are attaching AED pads to someone who is up and running a marathon, but I just thought that I would suggest...


----------

