Abnormal Breath Sounds: Wheeze, Crackles, Rhonchi, Stridor, Pleural Rub
Five key adventitious lung sounds and their clinical correlates:
| Sound | Description | Typical Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Wheeze | High‑pitched, musical, continuous | Bronchial narrowing (asthma, COPD, bronchospasm) |
| Crackles (Rales) | Discontinuous, popping, like cellophane | Fluid in alveoli/small airways (pulmonary edema, pneumonia, fibrosis) |
| Rhonchi | Low‑pitched, continuous, snoring/gurgling | Mucus/obstruction in larger airways (bronchitis, cystic fibrosis) |
| Stridor | Harsh, high‑pitched, inspiratory | Upper airway obstruction (croup, foreign body, edema) |
| Pleural Rub | Grating, creaking, both phases | Inflamed pleural surfaces (pleuritis, pulmonary infarction) |
Auscultation technique: use diaphragm, compare symmetric areas, note phase (inspiratory/expiratory) and location.
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