Wheezing cough can be quite an annoyance and can even indicate an underlying lung condition in some cases. The wheezing is produced by an obstructed or blocked flow of oxygen leaving the lungs and partly blocked with either excess phlegm or sputum. Certain conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary edema can cause a wheezing cough.
Wheezing from asthma
Millions of individuals all over the world suffer from asthma. A wheezing cough manifests due to the narrowing or constriction of the trachea during an asthmatic spasm. Among young children and adults, the wheezing cough can stay dormant and then triggered by poor air quality, exercise or illnesses. Nevertheless, the asthmatic trachea can end up with scar tissue and even permanently constricted in certain areas. Even minor illnesses and slight cold can instigate the cough.
Pneumonia and bronchitis
Conditions affecting the lungs due to viral or bacterial infections can lead to production of excess sputum and trigger constriction of the airways. Wheezing cough is a typical symptom in acute cases of pneumonia and bronchitis.
The sound that occurs among those who have bronchitis is instigated by airway constriction while pneumonia is due constriction and excess lung secretions. The doctor can pinpoint the type and severity of a lung condition since the cough alone is not an indication of the degree of infection.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
This condition includes bronchitis and emphysema whic
h is responsible for fatalities in different parts of the world. COPD is characterized by shortness of breath, chronic cough as well as increased production of sputum that triggers the wheezing while coughing.
Pulmonary edema and heart failure
Take note that both pulmonary edema and heart failure can trigger a wheezing cough. If an individual has heart failure, the heart is not capable of handling the workload of pumping blood all over the body in which the fluids accumulate inside the lungs.
The increased fluid stimulates constriction of the trachea and results to wheezing while coughing or breathing. As for pulmonary edema, it is a condition in which the lungs are filled with fluid, thus causing difficulty breathing and wheezing cough. It is an acute condition that requires immediate medical care.