Which lung sound is typically associated with asthma?

Which lung sound is typically associated with asthma?

• A. Rales
• B. Wheezing
• C. Rhonchi
• D. Stridor

Answer: (B)

Asthma causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, so air must squeeze through constricted bronchioles as you breathe out. That turbulent flow produces a high-pitched, musical whistling sound—wheezing—that’s often most noticeable during expiration, and it can be present during inspiration if the obstruction is severe. This sound is a classic clue of bronchospasm and small-airway involvement. To help differentiate, other common lung sounds point to different problems: rales (crackles) come from fluid in the alveoli, as seen in congestive heart failure or pneumonia; rhonchi are coarse, snoring noises from secretions in larger airways, often improving with coughing; stridor is a harsh, vibrating sound indicating upper airway obstruction, such as swelling or a foreign body. In this context, the sound most typically associated with asthma is wheezing.

Asthma causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways, so air must squeeze through constricted bronchioles as you breathe out. That turbulent flow produces a high-pitched, musical whistling sound—wheezing—that’s often most noticeable during expiration, and it can be present during inspiration if the obstruction is severe. This sound is a classic clue of bronchospasm and small-airway involvement.

To help differentiate, other common lung sounds point to different problems: rales (crackles) come from fluid in the alveoli, as seen in congestive heart failure or pneumonia; rhonchi are coarse, snoring noises from secretions in larger airways, often improving with coughing; stridor is a harsh, vibrating sound indicating upper airway obstruction, such as swelling or a foreign body. In this context, the sound most typically associated with asthma is wheezing.