If you've searched online for private medical insurance that covers pleurisy then you are probably for looking for trusted UK based health insurance companies that will cover your pleurisy.
Our advice when looking for private medical insurance that covers pleurisy is to speak to a health insurance broker. Health insurance is very complicated and if you want complete certainty that pleurisy is covered by your policy you should consult with a medical insurance broker who can explain which policy providers will cover this medical condition and which will not.
There are many advantages to using a broker but the largest by far is that you're using their expertise at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than by you so it costs you no extra to use their services.
- Do you reside in many different postcodes? Some will give you a lower policy premium than offers. A broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance claim? A broker will know this critical information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different insurance policies?
- You've lean't you're at risk of developing a certain medical condition and want to know which policy provider offers the largest amount of cover for it. A broker will know this instantly saving you so much time and effort.
You can call around every medical insurance provider you can find and ask if they cover pleurisy, however this will be a very time consuming process. Each insurer will ask for your medical history because its not normally a simple yes or not if a medical condition is covered or not.
Its far far quicker to speak to one health insurance broker which will know which policy providers on the market cover pleurisy and under what terms they do or don't cover it.
Pleurisy Information
Pleurisy is inflammation of the sheet-like layers that cover the lungs (the pleura).
The most common symptom of pleurisy is a sharp chest pain when breathing deeply. Sometimes the pain is also felt in the shoulder.
The pain may be worse when you cough, sneeze or move around, and it may be relieved by taking shallow breaths.
Other symptoms can include shortness of breath and a dry cough.
Visit your GP if you experience the above symptoms. Seek immediate medical help if your chest pain is severe, particularly if you also have other symptoms, such as coughing up blood, nausea or sweating.
Pleurisy can usually be diagnosed by studying your symptoms. Your GP can listen to your chest to check for the distinctive dry, crunching sound that suggests you may have pleurisy.
Further tests may be needed to identify the underlying cause of your pleurisy and to assess how severe it is. These can include:
Most cases are the result of a viral infection (such as the flu) or a bacterial infection (such as pneumonia).
In rarer cases, pleurisy can be caused by conditions such as a blood clot blocking the flow of blood into the lungs (pulmonary embolism) or lung cancer.
Pleurisy can affect people of all ages, but people of 65 years and over are most at risk, because they're more likely to develop a chest infection.
Read more about the causes of pleurisy.
Treatment for pleurisy depends on the underlying cause.
For example, pleurisy caused by a viral infection will often resolve itself without treatment. However, pleurisy caused by a bacterial infection is usually treated with antibiotics, and people who are frail or already in poor health may be admitted to hospital.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are often used to relieve the chest pain associated with pleurisy.
If excess fluid builds up between the pleural layers, it may be necessary to drain the fluid to prevent breathing difficulties.