Wheezing and coughing may be normal if you are suffering from a respiratory infection or certain medical conditions. However, just because it is normal does not exempt you from the need to consult a doctor whenever the whistling sound is accompanied by other symptoms or when it is not relieved by the prescribed medication.
What we normally identify as whistling can be a symptom of a wide variety of problems of varying severity. To find out for sure, it is necessary to be examined by a doctor, which is why at the El Campanario medical centre in Calahonda, Mijas, we insist that it is best to ask for a consultation as soon as possible.
¿What are the causes of wheezing and coughing??
When there is a cough, it may happen that the airways are partially closed at some point due to a muscle contraction or because something, an object or mucus, makes breathing difficult. In such cases, it is normal for coughing and wheezing to occur together, with wheezing being a high-pitched noise, similar to a whistle.
As we explained, distinguishing the cause of this noise becomes complex even for a physician if he/she cannot perform auscultation, because sometimes there are other additional sounds that we do not detect directly or because it sounds differently depending on the patient.
Let's look at the common causes of coughing and wheezing and other noises that can be mistaken for wheezing if your hearing is not well trained.
Asthma
Wheezing is typical of asthmatic exacerbations and some acute allergic processes affecting the bronchi. They are not always accompanied by coughing, although this is common.
If you are an asthma patient, you should always have your rescue medication at hand. In case the rescue medication does not work properly, come immediately to our medical centre because you may need additional treatment.
Respiratory infections
The mucus that appears as a defence against infectious processes in the respiratory tract can narrow the ducts and cause the air to sound like a whistling sound as it passes through. We are talking about simple colds, but also about bronchitis, pneumonia or bronchiolitis. self-diagnosis can be dangerousespecially if you underestimate your infectious process.
The wheezing caused by a respiratory infection can be localised from the nose to the bronchioles. Depending on the location, it may or may not compromise your blood oxygen levels.
If you are suffering from a cold or flu and wheezing occurs, even if you do not feel choking, tell the doctor who sees you at our medical centre. If you experience shortness of breath together with dizziness or cyanosis (your fingers, lips or face turn blue), you need an emergency consultation.
Airway sealing
When an object or a piece of food enters the trachea or bronchial tubes where it should not and passes through, it emits a characteristic sound that is not exactly a beep, but may sound like a beep.. It is obvious that in these cases, if the patient is conscious, he or she may experience an intense cough as a natural defence mechanism to try to expel what is blocking the airways.
Unfortunately, we can't always solve it by coughing and, when choking, every second counts. You should call for help for yourself or the person with a blocked airway immediately, performing first aid manoeuvres if you know how. Otherwise, follow the instructions of the person on the phone.
Other causes
- Sleep apnoea.
- Oesophageal reflux.
- Significant nasal septum deviations.
¿What to do if you have whistling sounds when breathing?
If you experience wheezing during a cold or flu, but are not unwell, make an appointment with our team. In these cases and when you already have a diagnosis, there are a number of measures that can give you relief.
Use the prescribed medication or the medication
This is the main thing. Some patients with chronic respiratory ailments withdraw their medication when they get better, causing an exacerbation.. If you think you don't need as much of your medicine, talk to your specialist, because he or she knows when and how to try reducing your dose safely.
Try sleeping on a double pillow
Whether you have a cold or sleep apnoea, sleeping with two or three pillows helps to breathe better while lying down.
If you are a chronic respiratory patient, this trick can help you as a support to medication or oxygen-enriched air.
When to see a doctor?
When in doubt, always. It is better to visit us for uncomplicated rhinitis or flu than to need to do so in life-threatening conditions.
But in general, call us when you experience breathlessness or periods of choking, if you have symptoms of hypoxia (cyanosis, dizziness) or when you feel fatigue that worsens with exertion such as standing up or walking a few steps.
Treatment of wheezing and coughing
When you arrive at our medical centre with coughing and wheezing, we automatically proceed to measure your blood oxygen saturation levels and auscultate you, to determine if it is an emergency requiring intubation or oxygen-enriched air, or if you can wait your turn. Sometimes, to be on the safe side, we may need to draw some arterial blood for blood gases.
Once we have stabilised you, if necessary, with bronchodilators or with the help of corticosteroids, we will proceed to the most accurate diagnosis. To do this, we may order a chest x-ray, or we may schedule you for another day for tests such as spirometry. We will also treat you with antibiotics if you have a bacterial infection.
Depending on the reason for those coughing whistles in the chestOnce we have a definitive diagnosis, we will establish a treatment.
Wheezing and coughing may be a symptom of a simple cold or sleep apnoea, or a warning sign that requires immediate consultation. Not all sounds that may sound like whistling are whistling sounds, although it is difficult to distinguish between them without the aid of a stethoscope.