When is stridor heard

Read our updated information about wearing a mask for your visit , and our visitor policy. Stridor, or noisy breathing, is caused by a narrowed or partially blocked airway, the passage that connects the mouth to the lungs.

This results in wheezing or whistling sounds that may be high-pitched and audible when a person inhales, exhales, or both. NYU Langone otolaryngology specialists—also known as ear, nose, and throat doctors, or ENTs—often diagnose the cause of stridor during a physical exam.

If further diagnostic testing is necessary, doctors use advanced imaging techniques to get a clear look at the airway. The condition also affects children.

Because their airways are narrower, even a small blockage can interfere with breathing. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis is a common cause of stridor in adults. It results from a disruption in nerve function in both of the vocal cords—the two small structures in the throat that vibrate and collide to produce sound—leading to vocal cord tissues blocking the airway.

This causes biphasic stridor, which means the symptoms of noisy breathing occur when a person inhales and exhales. Bilateral vocal cord paralysis can result from having thyroid, chest, or esophageal surgery, or from being intubated—having a breathing tube inserted. These procedures can cause scar tissue that interferes with breathing. It may start as low-pitched 'croaking' and progress to high-pitched 'crowing' on more vigorous respiration.

It is usually heard on inspiration due to partial obstruction of the airway usually extrathoracic - that is, in the trachea, larynx or pharynx. Stridor can occur on expiration in severe upper airway obstruction but usually indicates tracheal or bronchial obstruction intrathoracic. Biphasic stridor suggests subglottic or glottic obstruction [ 1 ]. In the event of cessation of stridor with airway obstruction: Abrupt cessation of stridor may herald complete obstruction with chest movement but no breath sounds.

Patients will soon become unconscious. If there are any signs of airway obstruction from a suspected foreign body, try to clear this with back blows or abdominal thrusts clearly not appropriate in acute epiglottitis. Give oxygen. If necessary, perform emergency endotracheal intubation, cricothyroidotomy or tracheostomy with mechanical ventilation. Be prepared to suction any aspirated vomit or blood through the endotracheal or tracheostomy tube.

Are you protected against flu? Further reading and references. Join the discussion on the forums. Health Tools Feeling unwell? Parents and primary care providers may not be able to differentiate between wheezing, stridor and stertor in an infant or young child by exam alone. Diagnosing the problem often requires a thorough evaluation of the lungs and airway.

The specialist may perform a variety of tests to determine the source of noisy breathing. A few of the most common:. Treatment for noisy breathing depends on the underlying cause. A child who is sick and wheezing, for example, may be less concerning than a child who has wheezing that stems from both lungs without any noticeable illness.

Successful treatment often hinges on having a team of professionals, including an ear, nose, and throat specialist; a pulmonologist; a gastroenterologist; and sometimes a cardiologist. Doctors may take a "wait-and-see approach," while providing children with supportive care such as a nebulizer a device that turns liquid medicine into a mist that can be inhaled to help them breathe easier.

Other cases call for immediate surgery. Johns Hopkins pediatric otolaryngologists offer compassionate and comprehensive ear, nose and throat care at Green Spring Station — Lutherville, Maryland in Pavilion III, with free parking and easy access to I and I If your child has stridor that comes back, he or she may have trouble eating and drinking, and poor weight gain.

He or she will give your child a physical exam. The provider may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist ENT. If your child has stridor, the healthcare provider may order tests to find the cause. The tests may include:. CT scan or MRI. These are more detailed studies of the internal organs. Your child may need these so the ENT can look at the anatomy of the chest and neck. A special instrument is used to check the back of the throat and larynx.

A special instrument is used to check the throat, larynx, trachea, and tubes leading into the lungs bronchi. This is an easy test that checks how much air is breathed in and out. It also measures how quickly the air is breathed out. It is difficult to test young children with spirometry. Pulse oximetry. An oximeter is a small tool that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood.