Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound made while a person breathes. It is heard most clearly when a person exhales, but in some cases, it can be heard when a person inhales and can be a symptom of a serious breathing problem that requires diagnosis and treatment. Scroll down to find out 7 reasons why a person’s breath is followed by wheezing.
1. Asthma
Asthma is a condition where the airways narrow from time to time.1 in 20 adults have asthma. The common symptoms of asthma are coughing and wheezing.
2. Bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis is an abnormal widening of one or more airways which makes it prone to infection. The main symptom of bronchiectasis is a cough followed by a wheezing sound.
3. Infection
An infection anywhere in the respiratory tract can also trigger wheezing. For instance, infection of the bronchi may cause some wheezing in addition to other symptoms.
4. Emphysema
Emphysema is damage to the smaller airways and air sacs of the lungs. Usually, emphysema occurs along with bronchitis and this results in an uncomfortable airflow obstruction that cause the chest to produce a wheezing sound.
5. Bronchitis
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the airways of the lungs (bronchi). It is a kind of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and mainly occurs due to continuous smoking.
6. Bronchiolitis
Bronchiolitis is an infection of the small airways of the lung. It is usually caused by a virus called the respiratory syncytial virus and happens mostly during the winters.
7. Lung Disorders
Sometimes, wheezing can be a sign of a bigger problem like lung cancer, inflammatory conditions, and rare lung disorders.