![[pleurisy.jpg]] Pleurisy is a painful condition where the thin layers of tissue around your lungs (called the pleura) become inflamed. - These layers normally glide smoothly as you breathe, but when inflamed, they rub together, causing sharp chest pain, especially when breathing or coughing. - It’s often caused by infections like pneumonia, but can also result from injuries, autoimmune diseases, or even certain cancers. - [[Charles Darwin]] suffered from chronic pleurisy, among other illnesses.