US Medical Term · symptoms
Wheezing
Sibilancias
Also: Silbido al respirar (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Wheezing |
| Spanish (Español) | Sibilancias |
| Chinese (中文) | 喘鳴 |
| Korean (한국어) | 쌕쌕거림 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Thở khò khè |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Huminahina ang paghinga |
| Portuguese (Português) | Chiado no peito |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | หายใจมีเสียงหวีด |
| Japanese (日本語) | 喘鳴 |
What it means
Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling or squeaking sound made when you breathe, usually heard most clearly when breathing out. It happens when the airways in your lungs are narrowed, swollen, or blocked. Asthma and COPD are the most common causes, but wheezing can also result from allergies, respiratory infections, heart failure, or a foreign object in the airway. New or severe wheezing, especially with difficulty breathing or blue-tinged lips or fingernails, is a medical emergency. Mild or known asthma-related wheezing should still be evaluated if your rescue inhaler is not helping.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My breathing makes a whistling sound, especially when I breathe out.
Mi respiración produce un sonido sibilante, especialmente cuando exhalo.
I can hear a wheeze in my chest when I breathe at night.
Escucho un silbido en mi pecho cuando respiro de noche.
My child is wheezing and the inhaler isn't helping.
Mi hijo/a tiene sibilancias y el inhalador no está ayudando.
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
R06 Abnormalities of breathingRelated terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026