Wheezing cough: causes, symptoms and treatment methods in adults and children. Treatment of children's cough with whistling

A whistling sound in the lungs when breathing is medically called stridor. Stridor occurs when there is difficulty in the passage of air through the respiratory tract, caused by various reasons.

Whistling when breathing is a type of wheezing. U healthy person no extraneous noise during operation respiratory system there shouldn't be. Any extraneous noise when inhaling or exhaling is a serious reason to consult a doctor.

Classification of wheezing

Wheezing in the lungs can appear during a temperature reaction and is recorded when the body temperature is normal. They can be divided into dry and wet.

Dry wheezing appears when air passes through narrowed respiratory tracts, wet wheezing occurs when air flow moves through a moist environment: phlegm, moisture accumulated in the lungs.

Narrowing of the bronchi and bronchioles is caused by bronchospasms, viscous sputum accumulating on the walls of the branches, and tumors of various origins.

Moist rales are recorded when excess moisture accumulates in the bronchi. Air, combining with liquid, breaks up into air bubbles. They burst, causing extraneous noise and whistling sounds when breathing. They are divided into small-bubble, medium-bubble and large-bubble. The more pronounced the noise, the larger the bubbles formed, the more moisture accumulated in the lungs and the more pronounced the inflammatory process.

Whistling in the chest is most often heard when exhaling. Its appearance is provoked by the following reasons:

acute, obstructive and chronic diseases lungs;
bronchitis of various etiologies;
bronchial asthma;
bronchiolitis;
inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract, symptoms of which are swelling of soft tissues;
apnea;
heart failure;
gastroesophageal reflux;
allergic reactions.

All these diseases and conditions cause pathological changes in the structure of the respiratory organs, force them to make more effort to pass the air flow, and therefore appear with a sound reminiscent of a whistle.

If wheezing is accompanied by additional symptoms:

the face begins to turn pale or blue;
shortness of breath appears;
breathing is interrupted

the patient requires immediate medical attention. The attack cannot go away on its own.

wheezing cough

In some cases, wheezing in the lungs is accompanied by whistling when coughing. What is this symptom associated with?

With bronchitis of various etiologies, viral and bacterial, specific and bronchiolitis. During these diseases, a narrowing of the distal sections of the bronchial branches occurs.
With bronchial asthma - chronic disease respiratory system.
With whooping cough. This severe infection is most often diagnosed in children, but can also occur in adults.

A whistling cough appears with whooping cough. different stages diseases. The first stage, which usually lasts about 10 days, is accompanied by catarrhal symptoms, which makes diagnosis difficult: the disease is similar to bronchitis.

The second stage is characterized by a convulsive cough. Cough shocks accompanied by a burning sensation in the trachea, the face turns purple during attacks. In children, such a convulsive cough attack is often accompanied by vomiting, involuntary urination and defecation. When passing through the glottis on exhalation, a characteristic whistling sound is heard, and after an attack, glassy mucus leaves. Until the next attack, my condition is satisfactory.

At the third stage, a whistling cough occurs during debilitating attacks and the whistling sound is heard when inhaling. This inhalation is called a “recapitulation.” 8-18 attacks are recorded per day. The mucus thickens and becomes dark green in color.

The younger the age, the more severe the disease.

Treatment of wheezing cough

The whistling cough is debilitating, and breathing after an attack is not immediately restored. To alleviate the condition, such methods are used as an “ambulance”.

They use anti-spasm medications that are packaged in inhalation cans. Your doctor may also prescribe medications with ephedrine or aminophylline.
Inhalations are carried out using a nebulizer, a home inhaler or, in the absence of special devices, steam. It is best for adults to inhale the steam through a rolled up paper bag; for children, it is better to cover them with a blanket so that they can breathe under it. Of the home remedies, the most effective remedy for inhalation, stopping an attack of wheezing cough, ordinary baking soda.

You cannot treat yourself if you have wheezing in the lungs.

An incorrect approach to treating the disease can aggravate general state, lead it to a chronic form, which subsequently causes severe complications: bronchial asthma or heart failure.

Lack of correct diagnosis and qualified therapy for whooping cough in children younger age may be fatal.

Cough most often acts as a protective reaction of the body, but it also often occurs as a result of the development of an inflammatory process in the respiratory tract. Depending on the type of cough, this sign may indicate a problem in the patient’s body. various diseases. Coughing with a whistling sound causes people a lot of anxiety because it is not a common cough, especially in young children. This type of cough can be distinguished by the presence of whistling and wheezing while inhaling air.

When does a wheezing cough appear?

A wheezing cough can be caused by many diseases, among which experts most often diagnose the development of obstructive processes - bronchitis or bronchial asthma. But other diseases that require medical intervention can also develop.

The disease is caused by infection entering the respiratory tract and is protracted. This disease affects both children and adults. The following symptoms are characteristic of it:

convulsive cough accompanied by whistling when inhaling;
increased body temperature;
swelling of the face and eyes.

Treatment of whooping cough should be comprehensive and systematic; drugs are prescribed depending on the age of the patient. Specialists prescribe medications that block bronchospasm, antitussive, mucolytic and antibacterial drugs. In some cases, the use of light tranquilizers, vascular and immune drugs, when the patient’s condition is serious, the use of hormones becomes inevitable.

Most often, a child develops a wheezing cough against the background of obstructive bronchitis. On initial stage As the disease develops, the baby experiences shortness of breath, wheezing, and coughing resulting from a narrowing of the airways. Often, the disease is diagnosed with whooping cough and measles, with wheezing and whistling in the bronchi, and a catarrhal-purulent process may develop.

Treatment of bronchitis, in which a symptom such as a whistling cough is observed, is carried out sulfa drugs, relieving bronchospasm. Antitussives, anti-inflammatory and expectorants are also indicated for use. Pediatricians often prescribe expectorant and emollient syrups such as Doctor Mom, Gedelix, and Fitostoptussin to young patients. Will help relieve the inflammatory process soda inhalations, which are useful for children and adults. For these purposes, you can use regular saline solution or alkaline solution. mineral water using a steam inhaler for the procedure.

Asthma

Bronchial asthma, which is allergic in nature, is difficult to treat and is usually inherited. The following symptoms are characteristic of this disease:

difficulty breathing with shortness of breath;
whistling while breathing;
cough;
itching in the chin, chest and neck;
blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle.

A child with a whistling cough usually occurs at night, is paroxysmal in nature, and is accompanied by nasal congestion. Treatment of bronchial asthma can be carried out at home or in a hospital setting, depending on the severity of the disease. Patients are prescribed bronchodilator aspirators-inhalers with hormonal drugs, anti-inflammatory and antiallergic drugs are also used. Whistling when coughing may disappear as a result of taking antihistamines, which also need to be used in the treatment of bronchial asthma allergic origin. If you have a wheezing cough, it is better to refuse treatment folk remedies, especially medicinal herbs, since in this case the allergic process in the patient’s body can only worsen.

How to help a patient?

If a person is bothered by coughing attacks at night, accompanied by whistling, it is necessary to change his position during sleep. It is important to know that the patient should be in a semi-sitting position. During the treatment period, the person should be provided with favorable conditions for Get well soon- visit a lot fresh air and drink warm drinks. The danger of wheezing cough in adults is that this sign may indicate swelling of the lungs, so you should immediately seek emergency medical help. Before the doctor arrives, the patient's relatives can give him antihistamines, relieving swelling of the bronchi or lungs.

Will help improve the patient's condition light massage chest. But you should know that in cases where whistling coughing attacks occur, the use of warming agents and essential oils is strictly contraindicated, because such actions can complicate the situation.

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A wheezing cough is a symptom indicating a significant accumulation of mucus in the bronchioles, because the gap in them is significantly reduced. This is especially dangerous for children, since their bronchial branches are already narrow, and the secretion accumulated on the walls provokes the appearance of a wheezing whistle.

A cough requires close attention and signals the particular severity of the disease, these include whooping cough, obstructive bronchitis, measles and a purulent-inflammatory process in the lungs.

The main characteristics of cough and the reasons for its occurrence

Regardless of the type of cough, it is not considered a disease in itself. This is just the body’s response to entry into the respiratory tract. foreign body, bacteria and viruses. Infectious and viral diseases are the cause of the colonization of the lungs by pathogenic microflora.

Cough is one of the first symptoms of the onset of the disease and can continue for another week after recovery. But it is worth paying close attention to residual effects. past illness, because they may indicate emerging complications.

A slight cough in the first days of illness gradually turns into paroxysmal cough. Such attacks end with a sore throat; after they stop, the person does not receive relief.

A wheezing cough with laryngotracheitis may be a manifestation of false croup. False croup in children requires emergency medical care, as it quickly leads to respiratory failure. Acute attacks The cough gradually turns into a constant, hacking cough, then changes to a wet and productive one. The discharge of sputum brings slight relief to the patient, and it becomes easier to breathe.

A whistling cough in adults indicates the presence of obstructive bronchitis; it may also be symptoms of the following diseases: asthma, measles, whooping cough.

Causes of whistling cough in adults and children:

Bronchitis and asthma. Asthma, the main cause of the disease is allergies. It occurs due to constant contact with the irritant, inhalation of its particles and their penetration into the lungs. The process of inflammation in the lungs gradually begins.

The inflammatory process contributes to the narrowing of the walls of the bronchi, which is why a dry cough appears with a whistling sound when breathing. Obstructive bronchitis also characterized by narrowing of the airways and the appearance of shortness of breath. Asthma and bronchitis are closely related to each other, so they can easily move from one disease to another.

Anaphylactic shock, this reaction is manifested by the body when it comes into contact with a certain allergen, it can be medicines, food, insect bites. A person develops shortness of breath, breathing becomes difficult, a whistling cough appears, inhalation and exhalation can only be done through the nose, swallowing becomes problematic due to the narrowing of the lumen of the larynx, and frequent sneezing appears.

Pulmonary edema can also cause a wheezing cough. If you called a doctor to your home and you were diagnosed with pulmonary edema, you must call as soon as possible ambulance to save your life.

Presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract. A wheezing cough appears due to the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract; the victim’s body temperature rises, the heartbeat quickens, the face first turns pale, and then acquires a bluish tint.

Airway injuries. Appear as a result of an accident or incident. In these cases, you must immediately call emergency assistance, and before her arrival, provide the person with a motionless body position.

Oncological diseases of the lower respiratory tract are the most serious reason the appearance of a whistling cough. Neoplasms negatively affect the bronchi, causing their narrowing; the patient experiences sputum discharge with blood.

How to help a patient suffering from a wheezing cough

An attack of wheezing cough mainly occurs at night, after a person assumes a horizontal body position. To help a child cope with this unpleasant symptom you need to put it on its side or take a semi-sitting position.

An adult will get relief if he sleeps sitting or half-sitting, leaning on a pillow. In order for the cough to become productive and the sputum to leave the lungs faster, we massage the back during the day. It is impossible to use oils and creams with fragrances; essential oils inhaled by the patient will further irritate the bronchial mucosa and lead to new, more severe attacks.

If you notice that a wheezing cough appears suddenly, accompanied by a wheezing inhalation, this is a sure sign of the onset of pulmonary edema. Here about home treatment out of the question, call emergency services immediately. While the ambulance is driving, the patient must be given any antihistamine medicine to slightly relieve the developing swelling.

A person suffering from asthma and frequent bronchitis with obstruction should have a nebulizer at home. Its use facilitates the discharge of sputum and relieves paroxysmal cough. If you don’t have it, you can breathe over a pan of hot steam in which baking soda is diluted; inhalation with potatoes or alkaline mineral water will also help.

Children and adults during illness who suffer from a dry, irritating cough can use special syrups, warm milk or tea before bed to prevent night attacks. During the day, you need to drink more fluids, this will help make the mucus less viscous and make it easier to cough up.

Severe cases when there is an increase in body temperature, weakness, headache, frequent, suffocating cough, antibacterial medications are used. Only a doctor prescribes them.

Only a medical professional can make a correct diagnosis. During the examination, he will determine the cause of the disease, and, if necessary, write a referral for examination (X-ray) and general analysis blood. By seeing the color of the sputum, the doctor will know whether the wheezing cough is caused by viruses or bacteria.

After receiving the test results, the doctor will prescribe a course of treatment. As a rule, it includes taking antiviral and antibacterial medications, mucolytics, antihistamines and a course of therapeutic massage.

Self-medicating a wheezing cough is strictly prohibited; this can lead to serious and irreversible consequences. As medical statistics show, refusal of hospitalization for false croup leads to mortality in 80% of cases.

Cough prevention

Everyone knows that preventing the onset of a disease is better than treating it for a long time.

To prevent acute respiratory diseases and bronchitis, you must follow simple rules:

walk in the fresh air every day, at least two hours a day;

ventilate the room and arrange wet cleaning;

eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, take a vitamin and mineral complex during the cold season;

Strengthen your immune system in every way: harden yourself, exercise physical exercise;

stop smoking;

During the flu season, avoid crowds of people.

Almost every person, be it an adult or a child, periodically experiences a cough, which occurs both against the background of the development of certain diseases, and for no apparent reason. And there is nothing strange in this, because coughing (dry or wet), as well as sneezing, is a natural protective reaction of the body to various irritating factors that prevent normal operation organs of the respiratory system. It is normal for your child to cough, so there is no need to panic even if the symptom lasts for more than three days. However, inaction in this situation is also not recommended, since coughing in some situations can pose a serious threat to health.

The most “alarming” symptom is considered to be a wheezing cough in a child, in which the baby’s breathing often becomes stale. In medicine, this phenomenon is also called stridor (noisy breathing). Often this condition develops at night, when a person is sleeping, that is, in a horizontal position. In addition to the characteristic whistle, the child may also experience wheezing, which is clearly audible when inhaling or exhaling sharply.

A whistling cough usually occurs when there is accumulation of a large number of mucus (sputum), resulting in irritation of nerve endings and spasm of small bronchioles. With bronchitis of various etiologies, narrowing is observed distal areas branches of the bronchi - this leads to the fact that the cough is accompanied by a characteristic whistle.

If a specific cough appears, which is accompanied by other symptoms (interruption of breathing, shortness of breath, or change in complexion), you should urgently seek help. medical assistance, since only a timely response to the problem will prevent the development of undesirable consequences for the body.

Common causes of anxiety cough

If coughing attacks in a child or adult are accompanied by whistling and wheezing, this may indicate the development of severe obstructive processes in the bronchi or lungs. Therefore, first of all, the doctor must exclude from the list possible reasons diseases such as obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma, as well as some lung diseases. Provoking factors for whistling cough can be viruses or pathogenic bacteria, and various types of allergens. Delaying treatment is highly discouraged, since there is only one step from obstructive bronchitis to chronic asthma, accompanied by attacks of suffocation.

Among the primary causes of wheezing cough are the following diseases:

Pharyngitis is an infection of the upper respiratory tract, which is accompanied by pathological changes in mucous membranes.
Pulmonary edema is a disruption of gas exchange in the tissues of the lungs as a result of fluid from the pulmonary capillaries entering the interstitium of the alveoli, which leads to a change in their structure.
Aspiration pneumonitis – pathological condition caused by aspiration of stomach contents (including vomit) into the respiratory tract.
Whooping cough is the development of acute inflammatory processes of a bacterial nature on the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs.
Throat cancer - severe cancer, characterized by the development malignant tumor mainly in the larynx area.

A prolonged cough with whistling in adults may be due to laryngitis, the rapid development anaphylactic shock or an allergic reaction. If a whistle during coughing attacks is heard mainly on exhalation, then this may indicate gastroesophageal reflux, apnea and even heart failure.

Treatment methods

It should be immediately noted that it is impossible to cure a wheezing cough for the simple reason that it is not a separate disease, but only a symptom of a concomitant pathological process, which usually disappears after full recovery. But any cough can be relieved.

For painful dry cough: various drugs, promoting the expansion of the airways and eliminating bronchospasms. Effective way Relieving a wheezing cough is the use of inhalations, which improve sputum production and make breathing free. IN in this case you can make a “steam bath” from potato broth or breathe in warm water for a while soda solution. The most effective are inhalations using special device– a nebulizer that sprays liquid medications or regular saline into tiny particles that penetrate deep into the bronchi and lungs.

You can also use simple mineral water (preferably Borjomi) for inhalation.

To alleviate a paroxysmal whistling cough in a child, it is more advisable to follow generally accepted medical recommendations: provide the patient with plenty of warm drinks and long walks in the fresh air. At prolonged attacks at night you need to change your body position (try to fall asleep half-sitting or raise your pillow). Quite often the cause of a wheezing cough is viral infection or certain strains of bacteria, so in this case an antibiotic is considered the ideal medicine. But when children's health hangs in the balance, it is advisable to overuse antibiotics without setting accurate diagnosis not reasonable.

This rule is especially relevant for mild forms of the disease - it is better to give the body the opportunity to cope with the problem on its own, rather than stuffing the baby with potent medicinal “chemistry”. Self-medication for a wheezing cough is strictly contraindicated - the course of therapy must be prescribed by a doctor, not a neighbor on the landing.

To relieve swelling of the lungs during severe cough with a whistle, it is preferable to use antihistamines, which are often prescribed for the treatment of bronchial asthma allergic form. Strongly not recommended without preliminary consultation with your doctor, use various warming agents based on essential oils, as this can only aggravate the already serious condition sick. In the standard set medicines To relieve cough, in addition to antibiotics, mucolytic drugs that have a good expectorant effect are also included.

To reduce the activity of the cough center, you can use effective recipes traditional medicine. For example, a popular way to relieve a cough is to drink the juice obtained by infusing black radish with honey. You can stop coughing attacks, as well as clear the bronchi and throat of all “nasties” with the help of healing badger fat.

Forewarned is forearmed

Cough with whistling and wheezing in children and adults may indicate various pathological processes in the body, so start taking medicines it is necessary strictly after establishing the reason for its occurrence.

There are health-hazardous conditions in which it is necessary to mandatory call an ambulance:

Severe cough with attacks of suffocation - this may be a sign of false croup.
Purulent discharge during lingering cough associated with vomiting and increased body temperature.
Prolonged, painful cough with a whistling sound, accompanied by spitting up blood.

Wrong approach to treating one or another concomitant disease may cause serious complications, including the inevitable transition of the disease to chronic form. For example, the absence adequate therapy With whooping cough, which occurs mainly in young children, it can even be fatal.

It is known that coughing always plays the role of a protective mechanism of the human body. Cases of its occurrence due to inflammatory processes in the lungs are not uncommon. A number of other diseases can be determined by the type of the body’s defense mechanism.

A cough with a characteristic whistling sound causes concern for most people, as it is not the most common manifestation. This cough is distinguished by the presence of whistling and hoarseness when inhaling and exhaling air.

Conditions of occurrence

A wheezing cough is the cause of many ailments, so it is extremely important to study the real reason its occurrence.

Very often it appears when allergic reaction or in a dream. This may be due to the position of the lungs.

The appearance of such a symptom can also be caused by bronchitis or bronchial asthma. The cause is considered to be phlegm, which accumulates in the bronchi and interferes with free breathing. All this characterizes some stages of acute respiratory diseases, when the patient experiences expectoration.

According to statistical data, ten percent of the world's population has suffered from bronchial asthma at least once. An example of this disease is the symptom of a dry cough with a distinct whistle, which is clearly audible when inhaling oxygen. It continues at night, lasts about an hour, followed by expectoration and possible dizziness.

If a dry whistling cough overcomes a child, this may be a sign of whooping cough. The risk of transmitting this disease to adults is quite high, but it is more common in children. The disease is caused by an infection that enters the child's body and inhibits the respiratory system.

The main symptoms are:

attacks of respiratory diseases;
swelling of the facial part;
high body temperature.

Among the most common diseases is bronchial disease, accompanied by inflammatory process. There is a possibility of complicated obstruction occurring with swelling of the airways. It is very often observed in winter, both in children and adults. As a rule, this is facilitated by changeable weather conditions.

From the very beginning of the illness, people experience severe shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, which is associated with a clear decrease in the lumen of the larynx. It is not uncommon for the disease to be accompanied by: acute bronchitis, whooping cough and measles. Along with wheezing in the bronchi, complicated inflammatory reactions which are accompanied by purulent processes.

There may be a chance of a foreign body entering a person’s lungs, which provokes a dry cough and increased heart rate.

A dry cough with a loud whistle is also possible with injuries and various lung injuries. This type of cough is very dangerous for the body and will require medical intervention. Symptoms of the disease:

hoarseness;
labored breathing;
wheezing cough, which is accompanied by coughing up blood and excruciating pain in the chest.

Classification of wheezing and whistling in the lungs and prevention

Wheezing in the lungs is divided into dry and wet types.

Dry wheezing occurs when oxygen moves through a narrow airway, while wet wheezing occurs when air masses circulate in a humid environment, resulting in mucus.

Narrowing of the bronchi is characterized by:

spasms;
viscous mucus that accumulates on the wall of the branches.

The wet type of wheezing is fixed in the bronchi by excess moisture. The air flow combines with masses of liquid and breaks up into bubble components. After some time, they burst, resulting in extraneous noise and whistling breathing. The more intense the noise, the more voluminous the bubbles are formed, and, therefore, the more pronounced the inflammatory process.

As a preventative measure, medical experts recommend taking care of yourself to avoid allergic reactions.

If a person is constantly exposed to toxins labor activity, respiratory protection must always be used. In a living room it is necessary to constantly ventilate and humidify the air. Walking in the fresh air will also help strengthen your immune system.

During an exacerbation of respiratory diseases, you need to strengthen the body: harden the body, take vitamins and get vaccinated.

Treatment of whistling cough

If a child without fever develops a cough at night, you should simply change his sleeping position. If the baby does get sick, he needs to be made comfortable during the treatment period. It is necessary to drink plenty of warm liquid, regularly ventilate the room, or go outside with the child for a short time.

Very popular folk recipes and herbal inhalations. First, you need to massage the baby’s chest area, using warming agents like “Doctor Mom” or Turpentine ointment.

Should always be used preventive measures, including: reception vitamin complex, vegetables, fruits and garlic. Although garlic is not a person’s favorite food, it contains a large amount of vitamins and will strengthen the immune system.

If an adult complains of a wheezing cough, you must:

At the first signs of illness, consult an allergist. This is due to the fact that whistling when coughing in adults can cause bronchial asthma, which has specific treatment;
You can take antihistamines that will relieve whistling sounds when coughing;
If the period of illness is long, then you should make an appointment with a pulmonologist, since such a cough may be the first sign of pneumonia.

If you can't see a specialist, try the following:

Also, do not forget that regular ventilation will clear the house of germs.

Most people believe that wheezing can be cured on your own, so avoid visiting a doctor.

Few people know that it can lead to one of the most serious diseases - pulmonary edema. Therefore, if you notice even a slight whistling sound when breathing, immediately contact a specialist. It is better to prevent a disease than to treat it.