Self-testing for pneumothorax includes analyzing symptoms, signs, and auxiliary examinations, but self-testing is not recommended.
1. Symptoms: Pneumothorax patients often manifest strong chest pain that occurs suddenly after activity or position change, or after trauma, usually confined to one side, with the nature of pins and needles or knife-like pain, which may radiate to other parts. It can be accompanied by chest tightness, dyspnea and other manifestations.
2. Signs: common signs include fuller thorax on the affected side, wider gap between ribs and ribs, and weaker undulation of the thorax on the affected side when breathing; inconsistent sound of the chest wall on percussion on both sides, with bulging sound on the affected side and clear sound on the healthy side, but a small number of pneumothorax patients with inconspicuous signs.
3. Auxiliary examination: chest radiograph is a simple, accurate and reliable method to diagnose pneumothorax, which is manifested as a convex shadow outside the lung tissue of the affected side, i.e. the pneumothorax line; CT examination of the chest is also helpful for the diagnosis, which reveals that there is a low-density shadow of gas in the pleural cavity, and the disappearance of the lung texture.
If you have symptoms such as chest pain, please go to the hospital as soon as possible. Self-assessment has the possibility of misdiagnosis and self-diagnosis is not recommended.