For a patient with pleural friction rub, what treatment should the therapist recommend?

In cases of pleural friction rub, the underlying cause is often related to inflammation of the pleura, which can be due to conditions such as pleuritis or pneumonia. The treatment typically targets this inflammation and any potential infection. Administering steroids can help to reduce the inflammatory response, while antibiotics are necessary if there is a bacterial infection that is contributing to the pleural inflammation.

Steroids will alleviate the symptoms associated with inflammation, while antibiotics will address the infection component, if applicable. This combination aims to resolve the pleural effusion and associated symptoms like pain and friction rub sounds during respiration.

Other treatments listed may be supportive in nature but do not directly address the inflammatory process causing the pleural friction rub. Physical therapy exercises can help improve lung function but would not resolve the underlying issue of pleural inflammation. Diuretics are primarily used in cases of heart failure or fluid overload, while pain management would only address symptoms, not the root cause. Antivirals may be relevant in specific viral infections but are not a standard treatment for pleural friction rub, which is often due to more common infections or inflammatory processes.