Rhonchi occur in the bronchi as air moves through tracheal-bronchial passages coated with mucus or respiratory secretions. Rhonchi sounds have a continuous snoring, gurgling, or rattle-like quality. Listen to the following wheezing lung sounds:Ī wheeze may also be lower-pitched, having a snoring or moaning quality in which they are referred to as rhonchi. The classic wheeze refers to the high-pitched whistle-like sound heard during exhalation as air moves through a narrow or obstructed airway. Wheezing sounds may occur during inhalation or exhalation and are continuous with a musical quality. Wheezing is caused by the narrowing of the airways and is associated with asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, COPD, smoking, heart failure, inhaling a foreign object into the lungs, or an allergic reaction. Types of abnormal breath sounds include wheezing, rhonchi (which sound like low-pitched wheezing), stridor, crackles (also known as rales, and these may be further classified as fine or coarse), and pleural friction rub. The lung sounds are classified according to the sounds involved during inhalation and exhalation phases of the breath cycle, taking note of the pitch and intensity. These are easily identified by auscultation, or listening to the lungs fields with the stethoscope. Hi, and welcome to this video on lung sounds! Lung sounds, or breath sounds, refer to the sounds heard when air moves through the respiratory system.

Wheezing and crackling in throat