Respiratory System Abnormal Finding II: Palpation and Auscultation

In respiratory assessments, palpation can detect abnormalities such as tracheal deviation, suggesting conditions like tension pneumothorax or large pleural effusion.

It also assesses tactile fremitus. Increased fremitus indicates pneumonia or pulmonary edema, while decreased fremitus suggests pleural effusion or pneumothorax.

Unequal chest movement often signals unilateral lung diseases like pneumothorax.

Next, auscultation detects abnormal lung sounds.

Fine crackles, a short, high-pitched sound heard at the end of inspiration, indicate pneumonia, whereas coarse crackles suggest severe fluid accumulation, such as in pulmonary edema.

Rhonchi, continuous low-pitched sounds, indicate obstructions in larger airways, often seen in COPD.

Wheezes, high-pitched musical sounds during expiration, suggest narrowed airways.

Stridor, a high-pitched wheezing sound during inspiration, points to tracheal and laryngeal obstructions.

A pleural friction rub, a creaking sound, is associated with conditions like pleurisy.

The voice sounds like bronchophony, whispered pectoriloquy, and egophony, commonly heard in conditions like pneumonia or pleural effusion, indicate increased lung density.