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Wheezing
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Wheezing or rhonchi are audible whistling or high pitched sounds that are
produced by the flow of air through narrowed small or large breathing passages
in
the lungs. This sound may also appear in some vocal cord abnormalities. This
sound is produced mostly during exhaling (breathing the air out) but may be
present
while inhaling
(breathing
the air
in). Wheezing
is the hallmark of diseases where the air passages are narrowed, like asthma
and
chronic
obstructive
pulmonary
disease (COPD).
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- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Bronchiectasis
- Bronchiolitis
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Viral infections of the upper respiratory tract
- Gastroesophageal reflux
disease
- Pneumonia
- Emphysema
- Carcinoid syndrome
- Cigarette smoking
- Pulmonary edema
- Pulmonary embolism
- Insect bites and stings
- Choking
- Allergies e.g. latex allergy
- Chronic sinusitis
- Anaphylactic reaction e.g. penicillin
- Inhalation of a foreign body
- Medications like aspirin (aspirin induced asthma)
- Food allergy
- Cardiac Arrhythmia
- Epiglottitis
- Aspergillosis of lung
- Cystic Fibrosis
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- An acute attack of severe wheezing requires hospitalization and supplemental
oxygen
- Manage the underlying cause of wheezing
- Medications
- Use your respiratory inhaler such as albuterol immediately
- Bronchodilators like salbutamol and terbutaline may be prescribed
by your physician. These drugs can be administered intravenously or taken
orally
- General Measures
- Leave whatever you are doing and go out in the fresh air
- Calm yourself, rest or lie down and try to relax.
- Use a vaporizer (moist, heated air) to help alleviate your symptoms.
- Consult your physician immediately if wheezing is associated with breathing
difficulty, cyanosis (bluish discoloration of skin) or change in level of
consciousness or if there are repeated episodes of wheezing in the absence
of any respiratory disease.
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AAT Deficiency
