Abnormal Breath Sounds

Question 1

Rales

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

Rhonchi

Answer 2

Rhonchi. Sounds that resemble snoring.

They occur when air is blocked or air flow becomes rough through the large airways.

Question 3

Stridor

Answer 3

Stridor. Wheeze-like sound heard when a person breathes.

Usually it is due to a blockage of airflow in the windpipe (trachea) or in the back of the throat.

Question 4

Wheezing

Answer 4

Wheezing. High-pitched sounds produced by narrowed airways.

They are most often heard when a person breathes out (exhales). Wheezing and other abnormal sounds can sometimes be heard without a stethoscope.

Question 5

Absent or decreased sounds can mean:

Answer 5

• Air or fluid in or around the lungs (such as pneumonia, heart failure, and pleural effusion)
• Increased thickness of the chest wall
• Over-inflation of a part of the lungs (emphysema can cause this)
• Reduced airflow to part of the lungs