Is resonance normal in chest?
Normally, the rest of the lung fields are resonant. Decreased or increased resonance is abnormal. Increased resonances can be noted either due to lung distention as seen in asthma, emphysema, bullous disease or due to Pneumothorax. Decreased resonance is noted with pleural effusion and all other lung diseases.
What causes resonant lung sounds?
Vocal Resonance Pathological lung tissue can transmit higher frequency sounds more efficiently; this occurs when a normally air-filled lung becomes occupied by another material, such as fluid.
Are lung sounds resonant?
Since lungs are mostly filled with air that we breathe in, percussion performed over most of the lung area produces a resonant sound, which is a low pitched, hollow sound.
What do the presence of Rales indicate?
The Sound of Rales Crackles are often associated with inflammation or infection of the small bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli. Crackles that don’t clear after a cough may indicate pulmonary edema or fluid in the alveoli due to heart failure or acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Why is there Hyperresonance on percussion?
Hyperresonant sounds may also be heard when percussing lungs hyperinflated with air, such as may occur in patients with COPD, or patients having an acute asthmatic attack. An area of hyperresonance on one side of the chest may indicate a pneumothorax.
What does pleurisy sound like?
Pleural Rubs This is often heard in pleurisy, or inflammation of the tissues that lie in the lungs and chest cavity. The sound may be continuous or broken and creaking or grating. It can be described as the sound of walking on fresh snow or rubbing leather together.
What does lung resonance sound like?
Resonant sounds are low pitched, hollow sounds heard over normal lung tissue. Flat or extremely dull sounds are normally heard over solid areas such as bones.
What does lung percussion indicate?
Percussion produces sounds on a spectrum from flat to dull depending on the density of the underlying tissue. Areas of well-aerated lung will be resonant, or tympanic, to percussion. Dullness to percussion indicates denser tissue, such as zones of effusion or consolidation.
Does consolidation mean pneumonia?
Consolidation indicates filling of the alveoli and bronchioles in the lung with pus (pneumonia), fluid (pulmonary oedema), blood or neoplastic cells.
What are the signs of consolidation?
Signs that consolidation may have occurred include:
- Expansion of the thorax on inspiration is reduced on the affected side.
- Vocal fremitus is increased on the affected side.
- Percussion is dull in the affected area.
- Breath sounds are bronchial.
- Possible medium, late, or pan-inspiratory crackles.
- Vocal resonance is increased.