All about wheezing and its underlying causes
Wheezing or a whistling sound that is heard while breathing in asthmatics is quite common, with cough accompanied with wheezing being an indicator of serious health conditions or disorders. The breathing disorder, wheezing is caused with the narrowing of the airways or its being obstructed with excess mucus. This whistling or musical sound or one caused indicating great difficulty in breathing takes place when the air crosses the obstruction or narrowing. It is possible wheezing could be caused due to some simple medical problems or may lie in more deeper causes and serious medical complications that may involve the consultation of a medical professional immediately.
It is but natural for one that is prone to asthmatic attacks to cough and wheeze at the same time, this taking place when the airways reacts to triggers causing their narrowing or producing excessive mucus. Wheezing could be observed both when the person inhales and exhales air. The other causes for wheezing could be pneumonia and bronchitis and other common causes like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis (destruction and widening of the airways), cystic fibrosis, and tuberculosis and lung cancer that causes wheezing along with cough that may bring up bloody sputum.
It is worth noting that besides asthma that is also known as a form of reactive airway disease, bronchitis could also cause wheezing accompanied with cough when a person affected tries to expel out mucus. The symptoms of wheezing could be worse in a patient already suffering from asthma. In addition those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that permanently damage the airways could experience worst symptoms of wheezing when exerting themselves even slightly. In addition gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GERT there could be pronounced wheezing when acid has refluxed high enough in your esophagus and then enters your throat causing you to wake up with a start if sleeping. In such cases coughing and wheezing could be pronounced and easily mistaken for asthma.
But what causes wheezing in asthma exactly
Asthma has been rightly termed as a reactive airway disease because it causes wheezing. Wheezing or the coarse whistling or musical sound produced with breathing is produced in the respiratory tract. The reason for its occurrence can be placed to the cause that a part of the bronchial tubes and branches are obstructed. This is aggravated by the fact that these tubes also narrow down and cause further difficulty in breathing more freely.
So those that suffer lung or respiratory infection produce the auditory effect of wheezing. These infections and obstructions take place primarily due to reaction to allergens and triggers.
The triggers or allergens could be anything like animal dander, pollen during change of seasons, mold, dust mites and various other physical, emotional strain and stresses like menstrual cycle, work stress, family stress or anything. The intake of fried food, pickles and caffeinated drinks could also sometimes cause obstruction and infection in airways and asthma along with wheezing.
So it is right in saying that the whistling or musical sound produced in asthma is caused primarily by 2 lung conditions namely, reduced airflow to the lungs followed by narrowing of airways and congestion in the lungs due to allergic substances in the air, and food. However it is wrong to diagnose wheezing and its underlying cause all by oneself, as only a specialist would be able to point out if it is something more serious requiring urgent professional help.
It is right to say that knowing what causes wheezing in asthma would make you disease smart to know when you should seek professional medical help.