How to stop wheezing at night

A breath sound, also known as a lung sound, is the sound produced by your lungs whenever you inhale and exhale. These may be heard on their own or with a stethoscope.

Wheezing on exhale when lying down

There are normal breath sounds that your healthcare provider expects to hear. Abnormal breath sounds may indicate a respiratory illness, heart disease, infection, or other problems. The types of breath sounds—most commonly wheezing, stridor, rhonchi, or rales—can provide clues as to the underlying cause.

This article explains where breath sounds originate and what wheezing, stridor, rhonchi, and rales mean.

It also describes possible causes and when it is time to seek medical care.

Normal Breath Sounds

Auscultation is the process of listening with a stethoscope. With lung auscultation, your healthcare provider will listen for different sounds as you inhale, known as inspiration, and exhale, known as expiration.

As part of the evaluation, the provider will check for three types of normal breath sounds.

Tracheal Breath Sounds

Tracheal breath sounds are loud and high

wheezing and pain in left lung

location of wheezing in lungs