Wheezing

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Lungs

Overview

Treatment

Wheezing

Definition:

Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound produced by air flowing through narrowed breathing tubes, especially the smaller ones deep in the lung. It is a common finding in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Alternative Names:

Sibilant rhonchi

Considerations:

The clinical importance of wheezing is that it is an indicator of airway narrowing, and it may indicate difficulty breathing.

Wheezing is most obvious when exhaling (breathing out), but may be present during either inspiration (breathing in) or exhalation.

Wheezing most often comes from the small bronchial tubes (breathing tubes deep in the chest), but it may originate if larger airways are obstructed or in certain cases of vocal cord abnormalities.

Common Causes:

Asthma
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiolitis
Bronchitis
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Viral infection, especially in infants younger than 2 years old
Pneumonia
Emphysema (COPD), especially when a respiratory infection is present
Smoking
Insect sting which causes an allergic reaction
Medications (many asthmatics wheeze after taking aspirin)
Inhalation of foreign matter into the lungs
Heart failure (cardiac asthma)

Review Date: 8/6/2004
Reviewed By: Allen J. Blaivas, D.O., Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University Hospital, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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