Which pleura lines the chest wall, diaphragm, and mediastinum and is highly sensitive to pain?

Which pleura lines the chest wall, diaphragm, and mediastinum and is highly sensitive to pain?

• A. Parietal pleura
• B. Visceral pleura
• C. Pleural cavity
• D. Pericardial pleura

Answer: (A)

Pain sensitivity in the pleura comes from its nerve supply. The lining that covers the chest wall, the diaphragm, and the mediastinum is the parietal pleura, and it is innervated by somatic nerves (intercostal nerves and the phrenic nerve). This makes it capable of producing sharp, localized pain when irritated or inflamed, such as with pleuritis or deep breathing. In contrast, the visceral pleura that covers the lungs is supplied mainly by autonomic nerves and is not as pain-sensitive, so irritation there tends to feel dull or vague rather than sharp. The pleural cavity is just the potential space between these layers, filled with fluid. Therefore, the parietal pleura is the correct lining that is highly sensitive to pain.

Pain sensitivity in the pleura comes from its nerve supply. The lining that covers the chest wall, the diaphragm, and the mediastinum is the parietal pleura, and it is innervated by somatic nerves (intercostal nerves and the phrenic nerve). This makes it capable of producing sharp, localized pain when irritated or inflamed, such as with pleuritis or deep breathing. In contrast, the visceral pleura that covers the lungs is supplied mainly by autonomic nerves and is not as pain-sensitive, so irritation there tends to feel dull or vague rather than sharp. The pleural cavity is just the potential space between these layers, filled with fluid. Therefore, the parietal pleura is the correct lining that is highly sensitive to pain.