The lung membrane is one of the most important parts of the lung in the human body. It has indispensable functions and great importance in your body, so we had to shed light on it in order to get to know this membrane completely and discover its composition and functions for the health of the lungs in the thoracic cavity, so follow us.

What is the lung membrane?

Lung membrane – Pleura is also known as the pleura or the pleural membrane, and it is considered one of the very important and necessary parts of the respiratory system represented in the lungs, and although it is thin and small in size, it is indispensable, and when exposed to any health problem, many complications occur.

The shape and composition of the lung membrane

The pleura or lung is a membrane that lines the lungs from the outside. This membrane consists of two thin layers of tissue. Let’s get to know these layers.

Visceral pleura

It is the inner layer of the diaphragm, and it is a thin, slippery membrane, which is firmly attached to the lungs and attached to it and cannot be separated from it. It also dives into the areas and cavities that separate the lobes of the lungs, known as the hilum.

parietal pleura

It is the outer layer, and it is thicker than the inner layer. This membrane lines the inner cavity of the chest and the diaphragm.

Separating the layers is a space called the pleural cavity, also known as the intrapleural space. This cavity contains the pleural fluid which is a viscous lubricant, which is secreted by the epithelial cells in small quantities to lubricate the pleural cavity, in order to allow the layers to slide over one another.

lung membrane function

This membrane is very important and necessary for the breathing process, as it provides the lungs with lubrication that helps with breathing and the processes of inhalation and exhalation, as the pleural cavity contains about 4 cm to 5 cm3 of pleural fluid, and this reduces the occurrence of any friction during the expansion of the lung or during contraction during breathing.

Pleural fluid also helps maintain the position of the lungs against the thoracic cavity and chest wall. It also helps to pull the lung out during the inhalation process and not let it slip into the thoracic cavity.

As for the other functions of this membrane, the pleura is a self-contained membrane that knows what it has and what it is, and therefore it can have a role in preventing the spread of any infection to and from the lung.

The most common diseases of the lung membrane

There are a number of conditions that can directly affect the pleura and its functions in the body. This damage may affect the breathing process and its method, and thus exposure to acute respiratory symptoms, so let’s get to know these cases.

1- Pleurisy

It is an inflammation of the pleura or lung membrane, which is the most common problem, and this may be a result of a viral or bacterial infection or due to some autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

This inflammation causes the surface of the membrane to have a rough and sticky texture, so instead of helping the organs slide over each other easily, the opposite happens and the membranes stick to each other in the event of contact, and this causes very sharp pain with every breath or in the case of coughing or sneeze.

2- Pleural effusion

It is a condition in which excess fluid from the pleural fluid accumulates in the pleural space, and this causes a weakness in the breathing process, especially in some cases, this weakness is very noticeable.

This condition may occur due to congestive heart failure, but this condition is not the only cause, as it may also occur due to a strong lung shock or lung cancer.

3- Malignant pleural effusion

This case refers to a case of pleural effusion, but it contains tumors and cancer cells. This condition is closely related to lung cancer or breast cancer that metastasizes to the lungs.

4- Mesothelioma

This condition is considered one of the cases of pleural cancer, and it causes severe pain in the chest, shoulders and lower back, in addition to shortness of breath, swelling of the arm and face, and difficulty swallowing.

5- Pneumothorax

This condition is also known as a collapsed lung, and it occurs when air collects in the pleural cavity, and this may be a result of chest injuries or chest surgery, or due to obstructive pulmonary disease, this condition may cause abnormal crackling in the area below the skin of the neck and chest, Besides shortness of breath.

6- Hemothorax

It is a condition in which the pleural cavity is filled with blood, and this may result from chest surgeries or traumatic injury, and it rarely occurs due to a rupture of blood vessels. This condition causes a feeling of heaviness in the chest with pain, a rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing.

How to maintain the health of the lung membrane?

There are no specific factors that can be relied upon to maintain this membrane, but all you have to do is maintain lung health by quitting smoking and relying on healthy eating, and at any time you feel symptoms similar to the symptoms of conditions and problems of the pleural membrane, you should refer to the specialist doctor in order to be diagnosed your condition and check it out.