How to relieve dyspnea caused by pleural effusion in patients with lung cancer

When lung cancer patients have pleural effusion, the excessive pleural effusion may compress the tissues and restrict the movement of the diaphragm; the compression of the tumor and pleural effusion may lead to obstruction of pleural lymphatic return; excessive pleural effusion and pleurisy may lead to decreased elasticity of lung tissue, causing symptoms such as difficulty breathing, palpitations, and shortness of breath, which are extremely painful.

So, how can you relieve the dyspnea caused by pleural effusion? Here are some steps you can take when caring for a lung cancer patient.

(1) Place the patient in a comfortable position. The head of the bed can be raised, and the patient can be placed in a semi-recumbent position or in a lying position on the healthy side to facilitate breathing.

(2) If necessary, give the patient oxygen. The general oxygen inhalation rate is 2.4 L/min, and the oxygen concentration should be 35% to 40%. Pay attention to keeping the oxygen supply device unobstructed.

(3) Medical staff or family members should encourage patients to actively expectorate to keep the airway open.

(4) Patients should consciously use breathing control techniques under the guidance of a doctor, such as slow abdominal breathing, and should insist on performing effective coughing exercises before meals and before bedtime under the guidance of a doctor, preferably for 15 to 30 minutes each time.

(5) Medical staff and patients’ families should encourage and help patients to get out of bed and move around appropriately to increase lung capacity and prevent loss of lung function.

(6) If necessary, a certain amount of pleural effusion can be drained to reduce the pressure on the lung tissue. At the same time, preoperative and postoperative care should be provided.