What is an inflammatory lung nodule?

What is an inflammatory lung nodule?

The most common causes of lung nodules are inflamed tissue due to an infection or inflammation (called granulomas) or benign lung tumors (such as hamartomas). Less common, malignant lung nodules are typically caused by lung cancer or other cancers that have spread to the lungs (metastatic cancer).

Do lung nodules cause pain?

A wide range of symptoms may suggest that a patient has lung nodules or a lung mass. These include mild cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Other patients may experience weight loss, pain in the chest, or coughing up blood. However, many patients with a lung nodule or lung mass have no symptoms at all.

How are inflammatory lung nodules treated?

Small, noncancerous lung nodules don’t usually require treatment. You may need treatments, such as antibiotics or antifungal medications, if you have an infection. If the nodule grows, causes problems or is cancerous, you may need surgery.

Can lung nodules cause a cough?

What are the symptoms of lung nodules? Small lung nodules rarely cause symptoms. If the growth presses against the airway, you may cough, wheeze or struggle to catch your breath. Also rarely, you could experience signs that might indicate early stage lung cancer (cancer that hasn’t spread outside the lung).

What are the symptoms of a pulmonary nodule?

Pulmonary nodules usually cause no symptoms and are frequently discovered when a patient has a chest x-ray or CT scan for another reason. When they do cause symptoms, however, those symptoms may include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, or, in the case of pneumonia, fever.

What does having a nodule on the lung mean?

Lung nodules are fairly common masses of abnormal tissue in the lungs. They can be caused by any type of infection that impacts the respiratory tract, such as fungal infections, tuberculosis or bronchitis. Lung nodules typically don’t present any symptoms other than an occasional feeling of tightness in the chest.

What is a benign nodule in the lung?

Benign lung nodules are small, noncancerous masses of tissue typically discovered incidentally on a chest x-ray or CT scan. One out of every 500 to 1,000 chest x-rays reveals an unexpected lung nodule.

What is treatment for malignant lung nodule?

Lung Nodule Treatments. Treatment for lung nodules may range from a “watchful waiting” approach for benign nodules, to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy for malignant nodules.