10 Treatments for Pleurisy

8. Pain Medication

If your pleurisy is causing you pain, your doctor may prescribe stronger pain or cough medication to ease your symptoms. Be very cautious with these medications. Prescription painkillers can be very addictive, and you should not take them unless your pain is too severe to manage with over-the-counter medication. Never self-medicate using old prescriptions from past illnesses or injuries, and always discuss alternative options with your physician before taking prescription pain medications. Usually, NSAIDs can reduce pleurisy pain and inflammation enough to make prescription-strength painkillers unnecessary.