stridor

Thân thiện

A child with a cold breathes with a loud stridor.

Definition

Noun: A harsh, high-pitched, whistling or grating sound produced during breathing, typically heard when inhaling. It is a clinical sign indicating a partial obstruction or narrowing in the upper airway, particularly in the trachea or larynx.

Usage

Stridor is a medical term used to describe an abnormal respiratory sound. It is a symptom, not a disease itself, and signifies that airflow is being forced through a constricted passage. It is most commonly heard during inspiration (inhalation) but can also occur during expiration or both phases of breathing depending on the location of the obstruction.

Examples

• The doctor noted audible stridor in the child with croup.
• Post-operative swelling can sometimes cause stridor, requiring close monitoring.
• The presence of stridor is a medical emergency as it can signal severe airway compromise.

Advanced Usage

• Biphasic stridor: Stridor heard during both inhalation and exhalation, often suggesting a fixed obstruction at the level of the vocal cords or subglottic area.
• Inspiratory stridor: The most common type, heard when breathing in, typically indicating an obstruction above the vocal cords.
• Expiratory stridor: Heard when breathing out, more suggestive of an obstruction lower in the trachea.

Variants and Related Words

• Stridulous (adj.): Characterized by or producing a stridor.
  • The patient had a stridulous cough.

Synonyms

• Wheezing (Note: In precise medical terminology, "wheezing" typically refers to a high-pitched sound originating from the airways, like the bronchi, while "stridor" is from the airway. They are often confused but indicate different problems.)
• Grating sound
• Harsh breath sound

Related Phrases and Medical Contexts

• Airway obstruction: The general condition that stridor signals.
• Croup: A common viral illness in children known for causing a characteristic barking cough and stridor.
• Laryngomalacia: A common cause of inspiratory stridor in infants.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a whistling sound when breathing (usually heard on inspiration); indicates obstruction of the trachea or larynx