Wheezing

If you hear a whistling or high-pitched purring sound that feels as if it's coming from your chest when you breathe out, you are wheezing.

Causes

Wheezing is caused by narrowed airways, mucus blockage or a combination of both in the lungs. It's a sign that there is difficulty moving air in and out of the lungs and is a common symptom of asthma. Wheezing can also be caused by:

• Bronchitis

• Smoking

• Allergies

• Pneumonia

• Sensitivities to chemicals or pollution

• Emphysema

• Lung cancer

• Heart failure

• Object trapped in the airways

Treatment

If you are under a doctor's care for asthma, you don't have to see your doctor each time you start to wheeze. Just follow the doctor's recommendations.

If you do not have asthma and develop wheezing, call your doctor. You will be evaluated to determine the cause. If you have already seen a doctor for wheezing and know what's causing it, you may have a plan to manage it. If the plan is working, you do not have to see your doctor every time you start to wheeze.

Self-Care Steps for Wheezing

If you are wheezing, there are several things you can do to get relief:

• Stop activity if necessary.

• Use an inhaler.

• If you are in a smoky or polluted environment, leave immediately.