Brief Answer:
Most causes of pleural thickening are harmless and do not require treatment

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.

1. Pleural thickening in the absence of any clinical symptoms or disease is a benign and harmless finding.

2. The pleura is a thin membrane covering the lungs. It gets thickened usually following healing after a lung infection. Smoking and exposure to smoke might also cause pleural thickening. This pleural thickening should be confirmed by doing a CT scan chest if required and depending on what is seen on the X ray.

3. In most cases pleural thickening is not a serious concern and no emergency treatment is required. The milk you took is unlikely to cause pleural thickening.

Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

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Brief Answer:
Please get a CT scan chest done and consult a pulmonologist

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.

1. I understand your case and have had many patients like you before.

2. In my opinion, please get a CT scan chest done on the recommendation of a pulmonologist. You might discuss the chest X ray with the radiologist reporting the CT scan and double confirm if you indeed have a pleural thickening or if it is a false shadow which is seen in the chest X ray.

2. Once the above is clarified then you might discuss the finding with the pulmonologist and then take a certificate of fitness or absence of active lung disease and proceed to your employment. Many of my patients have got through job fitness clearance this way.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

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