Dorothy FarrarWhistling noises when breathing
Whistling noises when breathing are often triggered by inflammation , bronchial asthma, bronchitis or foreign body aspiration. In many cases, whistling noises when breathing can be treated well with drug therapy.
Description
Whistling noises when breathing are also known as stridor. The whistling sound results from a narrowing of the airways. Basically, a whistling noise when breathing is classified as pathological and should be examined by a specialist. A healthy breath sound comes from the movement of air currents and should be barely perceptible.
Abnormal breath sounds can be distinguished by occurrence or location of the narrowing. After occurrence, whistles during breathing are divided into an inspiratory and expiratory stridor. In inspiratory stridor, the whistling typically occurs on inspiration. Expiratory stridor is characterized by abnormal breath sounds during expiration.
Depending on the location of the narrowing, a distinction can be made between nasal stridor (originating from the nose), tracheal stridor (originating from the trachea), pharyngeal stridor (originating from the pharynx) and laryngeal stridor (originating from the larynx).
causes
There are a variety of causes that can lead to whistling noises when breathing. In many cases, whistling indicates a narrowing of the airways in the larynx. In principle, however, the narrowing can also be localized in other places. Possible causes of wheezing when breathing are bronchitis or bronchial asthma. In addition, aspiration of a foreign body often leads to wheezing.
Aspirations are particularly common in children who put candy or other small objects in their mouths and inhale accidentally. The main causes of an inspiratory stridor include inflammation of the epiglottis (epiglottitis), pseudocroup or tumors in the airways. Expiratory stridor can occur in bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Other possible causes of abnormal breath sounds are lung cancer and diphtheria. In some cases, an enlarged thyroid makes wheezing when you breathe.
Diseases
When to the doctor?
If the affected person suffers from a cold or the flu , whistling noises may occur when breathing. If he is already undergoing treatment due to the symptoms, no further visit to the doctor is necessary. The noises are side effects of the underlying disease and disappear on their own within the healing process. If they persist, a doctor must carry out further examinations.
The whistling noises when breathing can indicate diseases of the respiratory tract. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted as soon as the noise continues unabated for several days or weeks. If the breathing noises increase, a doctor should also be consulted. There may be tumors or growths forming inside the airways or pressing on the windpipe from the outside.
If whistling noises occur when breathing after an accident, the respiratory tract is damaged. Foreign objects may have gotten into the windpipe and need to be removed. This also applies if the person concerned has choked and the whistling noises then persist.
Whistling noises when breathing can be caused by inflammation, asthma or bronchitis. If there are other symptoms such as coughing, nasal speech or pain, a doctor must be consulted. If the person concerned is unable to take a deep breath in addition to the breathing noises, a doctor must clarify the symptoms.
diagnosis and course
Since there are many causes of whistling noises when breathing, a thorough diagnosis by a lung specialist is necessary. First, the treating specialist takes a medical history. Among other things, it plays a role whether the breathing noise occurs during inhalation or exhalation. The doctor will also ask about the patient’s smoking habits. Since smoking greatly increases the risk of wheezing when breathing, this question is a particularly important part of the patient consultation.
After the interview, the physical examination follows. The pulmonologist examines the throat and pharynx for inflammation. He also listens to the lungs in order to be able to rule out pneumonia as the cause of the whistling noise when breathing. If bronchial asthma is suspected, the doctor will carry out a lung function test. The course of whistling noises during breathing varies depending on the underlying disease. Inflammation of the respiratory tract usually heals without complications through the administration of medication. If the cause of the whistling noise when breathing is a serious disease such as lung cancer, the course is less positive.
complications
First and foremost, whistling noises when breathing are relatively annoying. They can therefore have a negative effect on the relationship with their partner or family, as they disturb other people while they are sleeping. Those who suffer from wheezing when breathing usually cannot sleep well themselves, which leads to sleep deprivation and thus to general fatigue .
If the patient smokes and suffers from the noises mentioned, this can be a sign of lung cancer . In any case, treatment by a doctor is necessary. In most cases, wheezing is caused by pneumonia. If left untreated, the inflammation can spread to other parts of the body and be fatal.
Treatment usually takes place with medication and is successful after about a week, so that no complications arise here. Whether the course of lung cancer will be positive or negative cannot be generally predicted.
If the whistling noise was caused by swallowing a foreign object, this object must be removed immediately. This may require an operation. If the foreign body is not removed, it can lead to death in the worst case. The removal itself proceeds without complications. When you stop smoking, the wheezing when you breathe usually decreases.
Treatment and therapy
Treatment for wheezing sounds depends on the underlying condition. The degree of aggressiveness of the treatment also depends on the severity of the disease. Bacterial inflammation of the respiratory tract can usually be treated well with antibiotics and heals within a few days. The whistling noises when breathing usually disappear after drug therapy.
If the abnormal breathing sounds are the result of aspiration of a foreign body, the foreign body must be removed as quickly as possible. This can be done, among other things, by a bronchoscopy. The foreign body is removed endoscopically. In the case of bronchial asthma, long-term therapy must be carried out by so-called controllers. Those affected take anti-inflammatory drugs over a longer period of time .
Prevention
Whistling noises when breathing can be prevented with simple measures. The most important preventive measure is to stop smoking. This also includes passive smoking, which should be avoided if possible. Smoking damages the respiratory system and increases the risk of various diseases that are associated with wheezing when breathing.Exercise in the fresh air is good for the lungs and ensures general well-being. Furthermore, any pollutants that could damage the lungs should be avoided. These measures serve to maintain the functions of the respiratory system. In healthy respiratory organs, there are no whistling noises when breathing.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.