noisy breathing

Introduction

noise during breathing can be of various types depending upon whether awake or asleep and on where the airway obstruction arises
wheeze is primarily an expiratory musical sound coming from the lungs but may become biphasic and is usually caused by asthma, but also may occur in acute pulmonary oedema (APO) or inhaled foreign body which has made it into the thoracic cavity
stridor is primarily an inspiratory noise (which may be biphasic) arising from the trachea or epiglottis and is most commonly associated with croup, but may also be caused by an inhaled foreign body in the trachea outside of the thoracic cavity, or from bacterial epiglottitis which is now quite rare thanks to HiB vaccination
stertor is primarily an inspiratory noise arising from the upper airways and in the unconscious patient, it generally indicates upper airway obstruction and potentially impending death caused by the tongue which requires airway management such as lying on the side, jaw thrust, chin lift, etc. Stertor also includes snoring and nasal obstruction sounds.