Wheezing

Wheezing happens when the breathing tubes in the lungs are narrowed. Wheezing is usually described as breathing that produces a high-pitched whistling sound.

An asthma attack is a common cause of wheezing. Other causes include respiratory infections like influenza (flu) or pneumonia, bronchitis (inflammation of the airways), allergic reactions, and smoking.

What Does Wheezing Sound Like?

Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling when breathing out, breathing in, or both. It may occur with other symptoms, such as:

• Trouble breathing
• Symptoms of an asthma attack, such as coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath

Causes of Wheezing

Wheezing can be a symptom of:

• An asthma attack, which is when airways become narrowed and cause difficulty breathing
• Breathing an unknown substance into the lungs
• Lung infections like bronchitis, emphysema, and pneumonia
• Viruses, including the common cold, in children

Other causes of wheezing include:

• Allergic reaction to an insect bite or a medication
• Acid reflux
• Heart failure
• Smoking
• Vocal cord dysfunction

Certain chronic lung conditions can also cause wheezing, such as:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Bronchiectasis
  

What Medications Can Cause Wheezing?

Several medications can cause an asthma attack, including:

• Aspirin
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These include Motrin or Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen)
• Beta-blockers: Commonly prescribed for heart conditions, high blood pressure, and migraines

Allergic reactions can also cause wheezing. Common drug allergies that might cause wheezing include:

• Antibiotics
• Anticonvulsants (anti-seizure medications)
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (a type of anti-hypertensive medication)

Wheezing Treatment

Some of the medications and therapies that your healthcare provider might recommend to treat severe wheezing include:

• A bronchodilator such as albuterol
• Inhaled corticosteroids
• Epinephrine injection (used to combat severe allergic reactions)
• An antibiotic to treat a bacterial lung infection
• Oxygen therapy

A bronchodilator may be able to immediately stop wheezing caused by asthma.

Diagnosis

To determine the cause of wheezing that doesn't respond to at-home treatment, a healthcare provider might do the following:

• Conduct a physical exam and asked about the wheezing's timeline and severity level
• Listen to your lungs
• Blood tests, including tests to check the amount of oxygen in the blood
• Chest X-ray or lung function tests

At a hospital, treatment might include:

• Intravenous (IV) medications
• Supplemental oxygen
• Close monitoring
• Blood tests
• Chest X-ray
• Computed tomography (CT) chest scan

When to See a Healthcare Provider

See a healthcare provider if a case of wheezing:

• Occurs regularly, especially without a known cause
• Happens without a known cause
• Occurs for the first time
• Cannot be controlled with prescribed inhalers

Wheezing can require emergency care when:

• It is caused by an allergic reaction to medicine or an insect bite.
• It is accompanied by changes in skin color or feeling disoriented.
• It causes breathing trouble.

Summary

Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound that happens with breathing. It usually occurs during an asthma attack, a lung illness, or when a foreign object reaches the lungs. Allergic reactions, smoking, acid reflux disease, and heart failure can also cause wheezing.

Diagnosing the cause behind a case of wheezing might require a physical examination, chest X-rays, lung exams, and blood tests.