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Pneumothorax (Collapsed Lungs)

Man talking to doctor gesturing to his chest Man talking to doctor gesturing to his chest

Pneumothorax, also called a collapsed lung, occurs when air leaks into the space between your lung and chest wall. This pressure from the air building up and pushing on the outside of the lung causes it to give way. Lung collapse prevents the lung from expanding when inhaling.

Learn about Pneumothorax

Pneumothorax can be a complete lung collapse or only a portion of the lung. There are several different types of pneumothorax, defined by what caused the lung collapse.

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Pneumothorax Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of pneumothorax include shortness of breath, chest pain on one side and experiencing pain when breathing. Depending on the cause and the size of the leak, a collapsed lung can be treated a number of ways.

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Treating and Managing Pneumothorax

The goal of treatment is to relieve the pressure on the lung and allow it to re-inflate. The type of treatment selected will depend on the cause and severity of the collapse, and on your overall health.

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