However, they may also be a sign of a more severe underlying condition. The test will measure how much air the person inhales and exhales and will show whether or not their breathing function is normal.Īnyone experiencing continuous abnormal breathing sounds should see a doctor for a proper diagnosis.Ībnormal breathing sounds often indicate common and treatable disorders. For this test, a person must cough up some sputum, which a doctor will then send to a laboratory to check for infectious germs.Ī pulmonary function test may help doctors determine if the airways are blocked or damaged. If an infection is present, sputum testing may be necessary to diagnose the cause of abnormal breath sounds. They may also order blood tests to check for signs of underlying conditions. It is likely that a doctor will order other tests, including imaging tests such as a plain film X-ray or CT scan to look at the chest structures. They may also ask when the symptoms began and if anything relieves or provokes them. They may ask about any medication the person is taking or has taken recently. Some doctors also use other listening tools, such as computerized lung sound analysis.

This will help to identify the type of abnormal breath sound and narrow down the potential causes. Stridor can also be a symptom of inflammatory conditions, such as tonsillitis, epiglottitis, or croup (laryngotracheitis).Ī doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to the individual’s lungs and air passages as they breathe. A traumatic neck or chest injury involving the upper airway could result in a blockage too. A blockage may occur if a person breathes in a foreign object, chemical, or other harmful substance.

Stridor: Stridor occurs in people with an upper airway blockage.

Conditions such as acute bronchitis and COPD may cause rhonchi. There may also be inflammation and fluid in these airways.

Rhonchi: Rhonchi occur due to conditions that block airflow through the large airways, including the bronchi.

Wheezing: Wheezing is a common symptom of conditions that narrow the small airways in the lungs, such as asthma and COPD.

Conditions such as pneumonia or left-sided heart failure may cause this buildup.

Crackles: Crackles commonly happen as a result of fluid accumulation in the lungs.

pulmonary edema, which may relate to congestive heart failure or end-stage renal diseaseĮach type of breath sound has specific causes:.

an object stuck in the lungs or other airways.

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

bronchiectasis, an abnormal widening of the airways in the lungs.

The type of breath sound may be different depending on the underlying condition.Ĭommon causes of abnormal breath sounds include: Problems in the lungs or other airways are generally the cause of abnormal breath sounds. Some abnormal breath sounds may also change the sound of a person’s voice. It occurs in people who have a blocked upper airway, usually when they are breathing in.

Stridor: Stridor is a harsh, high-pitched, wheeze-like sound.

Rhonchi: Rhonchi are continuous, lower-pitched, rough sounds that many people compare to snoring.

A squawk is a short version of a wheeze that occurs during inhalation. Sometimes, wheezing can be loud enough to hear without a stethoscope.

Wheezing: Wheezing noises are high-pitched and continuous and may sound like a breathy whistle.

Crackling breath sounds may sound wet or dry, and doctors might describe them as either fine or coarse.

Crackles: Also called rales, crackles tend to sound like discontinuous clicking, rattling, or bubbling when the person inhales.

There are several distinct types of abnormal breath sounds, including: Infections and other conditions that cause inflammation or fluid buildup in the lungs commonly cause unusual breath sounds. These sounds are more apparent with a stethoscope, but some are loud enough to hear with the ears.Ībnormal breathing may be a sign of an underlying issue or medical condition.

However, abnormal breaths may sound strained, and odd noises may come from the lungs when the person inhales or exhales. The normal sounds that people make when they breathe should hardly be noticeable. Breath sounds, also called lung sounds, are the noises that the structures in the lungs make when a person breathes in and out.

Coarse lung sounds