Respiratory Exam
 
 

Listening for Breath Sounds

 
 
 
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On this page:Reduced Breath SoundsBronchial Sounds
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Overview

  • Breath sounds are normally heard on auscultating the chest, and their intensity and character can be used to assess for the presence of pulmonary pathology.

    • How to Assess

    • Ask the patient to take deep breaths in and out through their mouth. Auscultate from left to right, noting symmetry of breath sounds.
  • Auscultate the chest anteriorly and posteriorly, as well as in the axillae and supraclavicular fossae.

    • Types of Breath Sounds

    • Vesicular breath sounds - soft, non-musical, heard in inspiration and early expirationNormal breath sounds
    • Bronchial breath sounds - hollow sounds similar to those normally heard over the tracheaConsolidation or fibrosis

Reduced Breath Sounds

    • Listen For

    • Reduced intensity of breath sounds, either focally or generally over the chest. 

    • Causes of Decreased Breath Sounds

    • Shallow breathing - e.g. due to anxiety or CNS depression
    • Obstruction - foreign body, tumour, asthma, COPD
    • Pleural effusion
    • Pneumothorax
    • Obesity

Bronchial Sounds

    • Listen for

    • Hollow breath sounds, similar to those normally heard over the trachea.

    • Significance

    • Created by a patent airway surrounded by consolidated or otherwise hyperdense lung tissue.

    • Causes of Bronchial Breath Sounds

    • Pneumonia
    • Atelectasis (e.g. an area above a pleural effusion)
    • Pulmonary fibrosis
 
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