Physical findings of pneumonia include tachypnea, crackles, rhonchi, and signs of consolidation (egophony, bronchial breath sounds, dullness to percussion).
Crackles, which are short, explosive, and non-musical, are produced by patients with parenchymal lung diseases such as pneumonia, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and pulmonary edema1,8,9.
If you have pneumonia, your lungs may make crackling, bubbling, and rumbling sounds when you inhale.
A. Rhonchi sounds have a continuous snoring, gurgling, or rattle-like quality. Rhonchi occur in the bronchi as air moves through tracheal-bronchial passages coated with mucus or respiratory secretions. This is often heard in the upper lung field in the presence of pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, or cystic fibrosis.
However, some patients do not have abnormal lung sounds, even in the presence of pneumonia. Furthermore, lung findings during physical examination can be evanescent and may change substantially, even in a few minutes.
The patient may be febrile, tachycardic, and breathless at rest. Auscultation of the chest may reveal crackles, rales, or bronchial breathing, and there may be presence of dullness on percussion or tactile vocal fremitus.
Because the symptoms of pneumonia and bronchitis overlap – with cough, fever, and sometimes difficulty breathing – they can be difficult to tell apart. Fortunately, a chest X-ray can show a visible difference between the illnesses, helping your health care provider diagnose your condition and treat it appropriately.
Crackles - lung sounds recorded a stethoscope
Crackles, or rales, are a scratchy sound quality evident when fluid fills up in the alveolar and interstitial spaces. These sounds can be focal and coarse in localized areas of pulmonary edema or consolidation in pneumonia.
Rhonchi: Rhonchi occur due to conditions that block airflow through the large airways, including the bronchi. There may also be inflammation and fluid in these airways. Conditions such as acute bronchitis and COPD may cause rhonchi. Stridor: Stridor occurs in people with an upper airway blockage.
Rales can be further described as moist, dry, fine, and course. Rhonchi. Sounds that resemble snoring. They occur when air is blocked or air flow becomes rough through the large airways.
Official answer. Yes, you can have pneumonia without the telltale cough. While a cough that produces mucus and phlegm is a typical symptom of pneumonia, it is not a given.
Wheezing is also a symptom of asthma, pneumonia, heart failure and more. It could go away on its own, or it could be a sign of a serious condition.
A chest X-ray is often used to diagnose pneumonia. Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) see whether your immune system is fighting an infection. Pulse oximetry measures how much oxygen is in your blood. Pneumonia can keep your lungs from getting enough oxygen into your blood.
Bacterial pneumonia is more serious and often results in a gurgling sound when breathing and mucus or phlegm when coughing. If you are experiencing a cough and are concerned that it may be pneumonia, reach out to your doctor.
See your doctor to rule out pneumonia if shortness of breath, cough, or chest congestion also develop. Seek emergency care at a Dignity Health ER or urgent care clinic for the following symptoms: Bluish color of the lips or fingernails. Confusion or lethargy.
If bronchitis becomes pneumonia, a person's symptoms usually worsen. They will have a cough with mucus and a fever. If a doctor cannot diagnose pneumonia based on the person's symptoms, they may suggest a chest X-ray or blood test.
Bronchitis is usually caused by a virus and often follows a cold or flu. Antibiotics usually do not help acute bronchitis and they may be harmful. Experts recommend that you not use antibiotics to try to relieve symptoms of acute bronchitis if you have no other health problems.
A chest infection is an infection of the lungs or airways. The main types of chest infection are bronchitis and pneumonia. Most bronchitis cases are caused by viruses, whereas most pneumonia cases are due to bacteria. These infections are usually spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Individuals with a severe respiratory infection or pneumonia may produce loud crackles that are audible without a stethoscope. Those with fluid buildup in their lungs may also produce detectable sounds.
Don't try to run back to work and infect everyone else. Rest until you feel better. Whatever you do, don't smoke, it will only make your pneumonia worse. If your pneumonia is really severe or you have another serious health problem, your doctor may recommend that you get treated in the hospital.
These four stages of pneumonia are congestion, red hepatization, gray hepatization, and resolution, respectively.