Wheezing While Breathing Out

The sound may come from airway swelling, mucus, or tightening of the muscles around the breathing tubes. It can occur with asthma, a chest infection such as acute bronchitis, or COPD. Allergies and inhaled irritants can also trigger it. In babies and young children, bronchiolitis is another possibility. The sound alone cannot identify the cause; a clinician may listen to your chest and check how comfortably you are breathing.

Move away from smoke, perfume, dust, or another suspected trigger and sit upright. Use a prescribed reliever inhaler exactly as your clinician directed; do not borrow someone else’s medicine. Note when the wheeze began, whether it follows exercise or an exposure, and whether cough, fever, or chest tightness occurs. A nebuliser treatment may be used in a medical setting when inhaled medicine needs to reach narrowed airways.

Seek emergency help if breathing is severely difficult, you cannot speak comfortably, your lips look blue or grey, you become confused, or swelling of the face or throat follows an exposure. Arrange prompt medical assessment for new wheezing, wheezing that keeps returning, chest pain, fever with worsening breathing, or little relief from your prescribed inhaler.

Ask what may be narrowing your airways, whether you need breathing tests, which symptoms should trigger urgent help, and how to use your inhaler correctly.