Which term describes a high-pitched, musical, squeaking adventitious lung sound?

Which term describes a high-pitched, musical, squeaking adventitious lung sound?

• A. Influenza
• B. Wheeze
• C. Emphysema
• D. Olfaction

Answer: (B)

Wheezes are musical, high-pitched adventitious lung sounds that occur when air flows through narrowed or constricted airways. The narrowing—often from bronchospasm, inflammation, or secretions—causes the turbulent, whistling sound you hear with auscultation. This is a hallmark of obstructive processes in the lungs, such as asthma or COPD, and helps point clinicians toward airway constriction as the issue rather than an infection alone or a structural change. Influenza describes a viral infection and is not a lung sound. Emphysema is a disease state affecting the lungs but does not describe a specific sound. Olfaction is the sense of smell and is unrelated to lung sounds.

Wheezes are musical, high-pitched adventitious lung sounds that occur when air flows through narrowed or constricted airways. The narrowing—often from bronchospasm, inflammation, or secretions—causes the turbulent, whistling sound you hear with auscultation. This is a hallmark of obstructive processes in the lungs, such as asthma or COPD, and helps point clinicians toward airway constriction as the issue rather than an infection alone or a structural change.

Influenza describes a viral infection and is not a lung sound. Emphysema is a disease state affecting the lungs but does not describe a specific sound. Olfaction is the sense of smell and is unrelated to lung sounds.