In addition to pain, what other symptom is often present in patients with pleurisy?

In patients with pleurisy, shortness of breath is often present in addition to pain. Pleurisy, which is inflammation of the pleura—the double-layered membrane surrounding the lungs—can lead to restrictions in lung expansion due to pain and irritation during breathing. This pain can result in shallow breathing, which can contribute to a feeling of shortness of breath. In some cases, patients may also exhibit more pronounced respiratory distress because the inflamed pleura can cause deeper pleural spaces to become less efficient in gas exchange, resulting in clinical symptoms such as increased respiratory rate or difficulty breathing.

While other symptoms like fever may accompany some cases of pleurisy, especially if there is an associated infectious process, the direct mechanical impact on respiration tends to manifest more prominently as shortness of breath. Thus, the presence of shortness of breath indicates a significant aspect of pleurisy, linking the patient's pain to a decrease in lung function.