Patient education: Wheezing (The Basics)

What is wheezing? — This is when you hear a whistling sound when you breathe. It happens when your airways are swollen or blocked.

What causes wheezing? — The most common causes of wheezing are:

●Asthma – This is a lung condition that can make it hard to breathe (figure 1). Asthma symptoms can vary a lot over time. "Triggers" are things that make asthma symptoms worse. Common triggers include smoke, air pollution, dust, mold, pollen, strong chemicals or smells, very cold or dry air, and exercise.

●COPD – This stands for "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease." It is a lung disease that gets worse with aging, and is most often caused by smoking (figure 2). Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are types of COPD.

Many other things can also cause wheezing. They include:

●An allergic reaction

●Problems with the vocal cords or windpipe

●Injury to the voice box

●Mucus buildup in the airways

●An enlarged thyroid gland

●Infection

●Something getting stuck in the airway

●Narrow or crowded upper airways (especially if wheezing mostly happens when lying down)

Will I need tests? — Maybe. Your doctor or nurse will do an exam and ask about your symptoms. They might do tests such as:

●Breathing tests to check how air moves in and out of your lungs

●A test to see if an inhaler medicine improves your breathing

●Blood tests

●Allergy skin tests

●Chest X-ray

You might also get other tests. These can help your doctor figure out what is causing your wheezing.

How do I care for myself at home? — This depends on the cause of your wheezing. Some general tips:

●If you have asthma or COPD, take all of your medicines as instructed.

●Avoid things that make your wheezing worse. It's especially important to avoid smoking and places where other people are smoking.

●Use saline nose drops or spray to relieve stuffiness.

●Use a cool mist humidifier. This might help if you have an upper respiratory infection, like a cold.

●If you are coughing up mucus, try an over-the-counter cold and cough medicine. These medicines can thin mucus and sometimes reduce the urge to cough.

●If your wheezing was caused by an allergic reaction, avoid whatever you are allergic to. You might also get medicine to use if you have another reaction.

How is wheezing treated? — The first goal is to make sure that you can breathe without trouble and get enough air and oxygen into your lungs. Some people need extra oxygen or help with their breathing.

If you have asthma or COPD, wheezing is treated with medicine to help open up the airways. This can be given using inhalers or a "nebulizer." A nebulizer is a machine that lets you breathe in the medicine as a mist.

Other treatments depend on the cause of the wheezing. For example, if something is blocking your airway, doctors might need to do a procedure to remove it. If infection or inflammation in your throat or neck is narrowing your airway, you might need urgent treatment. This could include antibiotics, allergy treatments, or surgery.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for an ambulance (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:

●You are having trouble breathing, even when you are resting.

●Your lips or fingernails turn gray or blue.

●You feel confused, dizzy, faint, or weak due to trouble breathing.

●You can only speak 1 or 2 words without pausing for a breath.

●You have hives or a widespread, itchy skin rash along with trouble breathing.

●You lips or tongue are swollen.

Call your doctor or nurse for advice if:

●You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills.

●You feel weak or more short of breath than usual when doing your normal activities.

●Your wheezing gets worse, or you have new symptoms.

More on this topic

Patient education: Asthma in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Asthma in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use a nebulizer (The Basics)
Patient education: Spirometry (The Basics)

Patient education: Asthma treatment in adolescents and adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Asthma treatment in children (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (Beyond the Basics)