Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Robinson, MD on August 12, 2022 If your doctor thinks you might have an issue with your lungs, the type and
location of certain breathing sounds can help them figure out what might be behind it. This high-pitched whistling noise can happen when you’re breathing in or out. It’s usually a sign that something is making your airways narrow or keeping air from flowing through them. Two of the most common causes of wheezing are lung diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and
asthma. But many other issues can make you wheeze, too, including: You can also start wheezing if you smoke or as a side effect of some
medications. It’s not always serious, but if you have trouble breathing, are breathing really fast, or your skin turns a bluish color, see your doctor. If you start
wheezing suddenly after an insect bite or after eating food you may be allergic to, go to the emergency room right away. This is a series of short, explosive sounds. They can also sound like bubbling, rattling, or clicking. You’re more likely to have them when you breathe in, but they can
happen when you breathe out, too. You can have fine crackles, which are shorter and higher in pitch, or coarse crackles, which are lower. Either can be a sign that there’s fluid in your air sacs. They can be caused by:
StridorThis harsh, noisy, squeaking sound happens with every breath. It can be high or low, and it’s usually a sign that something is blocking your airways. Your doctor can typically tell where the problem is by whether your stridor sounds happen when you breathe in or out. It’s not always serious, but it sometimes can be a sign of a life-threatening problem that needs medical attention right away. You may get stridor if you have: You can also have stridor if an object gets stuck in your windpipe. You might need surgery to fix that problem. These low-pitched wheezing sounds sound like
snoring and usually happen when you breathe out. They can be a sign that your bronchial tubes (the tubes that connect your trachea to your lungs) are thickening because of mucus. Rhonchi sounds can be a sign of bronchitis or COPD. WhoopingThis high-pitched gasp typically follows a long bout of coughing. If you hear a “whoop” when you breathe in, it may be a symptom of whooping cough (pertussis), a contagious infection in your respiratory system. Pleural Friction RubThe membranes that cover the walls of your chest cavity and the outer surface of your lungs are called pleura. If they get inflamed and rub together, they can make this rough, scratchy sound. It can be a sign of pleurisy (inflammation of your pleura), pleural fluid (fluid on your lungs), pneumonia, or a lung tumor. Mediastinal CrunchThis sound, also called Hamman’s sign, tells your doctor that air is trapped in the space between your lungs (called the mediastinum). It’s a crunchy, scratchy sound, and it happens in time with your heartbeat. That’s because your heart movements shift the trapped air and cause the scratching sounds. These crunching sounds can sometimes mean you have a collapsed lung, especially if you also have chest pain and shortness of breath. They also can be a sign of lung disease like COPD, pneumonia, or cystic fibrosis. TestsYour doctor can get important information about the health of your lungs by listening closely as you breathe. The easiest and most common way to do this is to hold a stethoscope to the skin on your back and chest. This is called auscultation. As your doctor listens, they’ll ask you to take deep breaths through your mouth. They also may ask you to speak certain phrases and see how they sound through your chest or back. Some examples of this include:
What does hearing rales in lungs mean?Definition. Rales are abnormal lung sounds characterized by discontinuous clicking or rattling sounds. They can sound like salt dropped onto a hot pan or like cellophane being crumpled. These popping sounds are created when air is forced through airways that have been narrowed by mucus, pus or other fluids.
What does rales sound mean?Rales. Small clicking, bubbling, or rattling sounds in the lungs. They are heard when a person breathes in (inhales). They are believed to occur when air opens closed air spaces. Rales can be further described as moist, dry, fine, and course.
What are rales lung exam?Rales (a.k.a. crackles) are scratchy sounds that occur in association with processes that cause fluid to accumulate within the alveolar and interstitial spaces. The sound is similar to that produced by rubbing strands of hair together close to your ear.
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