Stridor or whistling in the bronchi. Methods of diagnosis and treatment

Whistling breathing( whistling in the bronchi) in pulmonology is also called stridor. It can be heard both during inspiration and exhalation.

More often, whistling during respiration occurs with diseases of the respiratory system, although in some cases may have an etiology of a different nature and arise in diseases that are not directly related to the lesion of the bronchial wall. This condition can occur in patients of any age, but more often affects children of the first years of life.

The main causes of the appearance of the stridor

Among the main etiological factors that lead to the emergence of a whistle during breathing are:

• anopharyngeal abscess with soft tissue of the pharynx;
• diphtheria, which provokes a significant narrowing of the larynx and the accumulation of mucus in it;
• ingestion of foreign objects in the respiratory tract;
• damage to the larynx by mechanical or chemical agents;
• laryngotraheobronchitis, occurring in an acute form and characterized by inflammatory changes in the trachea, larynx and bronchi.

The disease most often has a viral nature, begins with a common cold and may be accompanied by wheezing. The whistle in the bronchi, which is characteristic of the laryngotraheobronchitis, arises against the background of rapid breathing and is associated with the accumulation in the bronchi of a large amount of a secret viscous and viscous secretion.
Pathogenesis of whistling in the bronchi

Among the main mechanisms leading to the formation of whistles in the bronchi, one can distinguish their obstruction by a significant amount of thick mucus, which in excess is released in inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract. In addition, in the pathogenesis of the development of this condition, a previously formed narrowing of the bronchial lumen plays a role.

Often, bronchial obstruction is observed in acute bronchitis, as well as in allergic respiratory diseases, especially in bronchial asthma, when the secretion of thick mucus and narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi leads to a specific clinical picture in the form of asthma attacks. It is worth noting that in infants, wheezing, which is audible at a distance, occurs with colds, but is not a sign of severe obstructive syndrome, but is associated with superficial breathing, characteristic of children of this age group.

How to clean bronchi

Clearing the bronchi is a fairly long and difficult process, especially with chronic lesions of the respiratory system, therefore, before taking any measures to eliminate wheezing, you should consult a doctor and find out the cause of the disease. The competent medical worker will collect the data of the anamnesis, carry out the examination and, on the basis of percussion and auscultation, prescribe the appropriate treatment of the bronchi aimed at purifying them from mucus and restoring the normal functioning of the respiratory system and, if necessary, actively suppressing the acute or chronic inflammatory process in the respiratory organs.

If necessary, the doctor can prescribe additional instrumental examinations - for example, a radiograph of the lung( a normal picture) performed in several projections or a tomography of the bronchi( a layered photograph) can be used. For the treatment of bronchial tubes and cleaning them from sputum, the following methods are often used:

• , expectorant medication, and agents that dilute sputum;
• application of drainage massage and respiratory gymnastics to facilitate the removal of mucus from the respiratory tract;
• a warm alkaline drink in sufficient quantity;
• cleaning of bronchi by folk remedies( from medicinal substances, plantain, thermopsis, coltsfoot, primrose and licorice, marshmallow, calendula, horsetail) are most often used;
• a bronchial physician can prescribe physiotherapy, and in severe cases - anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents. In the allergic nature of whistling in the bronchi, antihistamines are prescribed, specific and nonspecific desensitization of the body, carried out sequentially in the stage of exacerbation and remission;
• is recommended to increase the body's immune defenses by taking multivitamin preparations and adhering to the principles of rational nutrition.

Timely implementation of medical recommendations will restore the normal state of respiratory organs and will be a good prevention of chronic inflammation and lungs and the occurrence of bronchial asthma. A comprehensive examination of the body, the identification of provoking factors and their elimination will help to cure the whistling in the bronchi in patients of any age, and such special treatment does not require such treatment.