Further to a previous thread I promised to come back after asking the GP what the difference was between all the different terms used for noisy chests. He was a bit vague but said that wheezing, rattling, crackling etc were all interchangeable terms and I got the impression that the doctors just use the term that's closest to what they can hear through the stethoscope. Sometimes its audible to the sufferer and to others, other times its only audible through the 'scope. Maybe we shouldn't get too hung up on defining the noises specifically but just use the words we think are most accurate for us! My crackly chest has much improved after a month on Seretide, he thinks that after another couple of months he may be able to slowly withdraw it, I hope so after reading about all the horrid side effects, and I am fed up with the hoarsenss already.
Definitions of wheezing, rattling and... - Asthma Community ...
Definitions of wheezing, rattling and general chest noises.
Iv not long found out iv got asthma so for me this has been very helpful.
Thanks for updating us KEB as I think I was the one who asked after being confused about the odd noises I was making. I always get 'no crackles' or 'no wheeze' when they get specific and go beyond 'clear chest' I have never been at the drs when I was making the slightly loud and vaguely whistly noises which I usually get in the evening though sometimes earlier.Always had a vague idea though that there is supposed to be a difference, maybe it's back to Wikipedia?
Glad your chest is clearing up though, hope you can get off Seretide soon!
Thanks Philomena. I have stopped the ""whistling"" at night when trying to sleep and only very occasionally get a slight wheeze if congested, so am much better.
Karen
Found the following info which may help explain things regarding wheezing, rattling and general chest noises:
Normal (vesicular) breath sounds are louder and longer during inspiration compared to expiration, and there is a gap between the inspiratory and expiratory sounds. Normal sounds have a rustling quality.
Bronchial breath sounds are loud and long during inspiration and expiration, and there is no gap between the two. They can be heard when lung tissue is solid but airways are patent. Bronchial breath sounds are difficult to describe, but can be mimicked by putting the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth and breathing in and out through the mouth.
Additional breath sounds
There are three other types of breath sound:
Wheezes (rhonchi): high-pitched musical sounds associated with air being forced through narrowed airways, for example in asthma, and usually more pronounced on expiration. Inspiratory wheeze (stridor) usually indicates severe upper airway obstruction, such as a foreign body or laryngealoedema. If inspiratory and expiratory wheezes are heard, this is usually due to excessive airway secretions.
Crackles (crepitations): non-musical sounds, associated with a reopening of a collapsed airway, for example in pulmonary oedema. They are usually localised in pneumonia and mild bronchiectasis. In pulmonary oedema and fibrosing alveolitis, both lungs are equally affected.
Pleural friction rub: leathery/creaking sounds during inspiration and expiration, evident when normally smooth pleural surfaces are roughened and rub on each other.
Hope this helps...
Yes very helpful definitions - my GP obviously couldn't be bothered to explain properly, or maybe he would have had to look them up!
have had my wheezes described as polyphonic - thought that was a ringtone! Also as having a prolonged expiratory phase!
I thought polyphonic was something to do with 16th-century church music (sorry, classical music geek here!) or yes, also ringtones, but not breathing. Though really it just means more than one wheeze 'tone' at once I think. Must be quite a musical effect - you obviously have a talented chest Honey! 
Karen, think your GP must be a bit lazy, or perhaps he's just forgotten them all which is a worrying thought when GPs declare with such authority that there's nothing wrong (in some cases after listening in one place for about 5 seconds).
Well with all these different noises we're making (polyphonic or otherwise) we should get together and create an orchestra! A few carefully placed microphones and a few people with a good musical ear to get us in order and we should be able to rival the best of the proms! I say we put in a bid to add ourselves to the comedy prom next year! 
Ha I like it - I'll volunteer as a director, afraid I don't have much talent as a performer in this area most of the time, unless you want boring normal 'rustling noises'. I'm sure it will be a sensation though - do you think we'll be ready in time for the end of this year's Prom season?
A little rustling could be helpful at the appropriate time!
Afraid I can't add my 'poly-vocalisations' if we're going for the last night - I'm going to be there (sooooo excited, asthma had better behave or I might be joining in in the wrong places!). I was thinking comedy proms to show we could still laugh at ourselves and laughter is supposed to be the best medicine.
checked out my poly phonic chest with GP - it meant that I was wheezing at different pitches! SO not sure if I am a soprano - (not the god father type) mezzo soprano or an alto...I am up for comedy musical interlude.
Hope you make it Ratty - crossing my fingers! Will you be wearing a comedy hat?
Comedy prom sounds good, I will be happy to contribute my boring rustling noises as gentle accompaniment
I notice the only persons so interested in wheezing, ratting and crackles are the doctors. Whilst I am wondering when I can sing again or talk clearly, hmmm...
gill
Last Night
Ratty, just wondering if you made it to the Last Night of the Proms tonight? Hope you did and enjoyed it.
We need to start practising for next year's comedy prom soon. Unless anyone thinks they might be able to get their chest to wheeze Land of Hope and Glory, in which case maybe we should go for the Last Night lol.
Yeah, I did and it was amazing, thanks. Had an absolutely fabulous time. 
Lungs were fairly well behaved there, although apparently overnight I was giving an interesting rendition with coughing and wheezing (I thought I slept fine - my poor sister didn't get so much sleep listening to me!!). My lungs definitely aren't so happy today though so I'm giving them a rest (I'm not hungry which is always a bad sign for me when I'm too breathless to want to eat) - got to get them okay to get through my interview on Tuesday - after that they can go as splat as they like (within reason!!).
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