Stridor (Noisy Breathing)
What is stridor?
Stridor is chronic noisy breathing.
What are the types of stridor?
The timing and the sound of your child's noisy breathing provides clues to the type of airway disorder that exists:
- Inspiratory stridor -- This occurs when your child breathes and it indicates a collapse of tissue above the vocal cords.
- Expiratory stridor -- This occurs when your child breathes out and it indicates a problem further down the windpipe.
- Biphasic stridor -- This occurs when your child breathes in and out, and it indicates a narrowing of the subglottis, the cartilage right below the vocal cords.
What causes stridor?
Stridor can be caused by a narrowed airway, infection or injury.
Learn more about the causes of stridor
How is stridor diagnosed?
Diagnosis begins with a visual examination of the head and neck to look for signs of distress, such as nasal flaring, bluish coloring and retractions of the neck and chest while breathing in. The airway doctor may recommend one or more of these diagnostic tests:
- Flexible laryngoscopy -- A test in which the doctor passes a tiny tube with a camera and light at the end through the nose and into the airway to look for problems.
- Plain X-ray, airway fluoroscopy, barium swallow, and CT scan of the chest -- Films that can help the doctor further evaluate the noisy breathing.
- Magnetic resonance imaging or magnetic resonance angiography -- An imaging test that shows soft tissues in great detail. MRI/MRA is rarely requested but it is helpful in diagnosing the presence of a vascular ring. A vascular ring is a rare birth defect in which a large blood vessel in the heart -- the aortic arch -- encircles and squeezes the trachea and esophagus.
How is stridor treated?
Stridor treatment depends upon many factors, such as the cause of the noisy breathing and the severity of the condition. Your child's treatment will be tailored to meet your child's unique needs. Treatment options may include:
- Medications -- To help decrease the swelling in the airway.
- Endoscopic surgery -- To remove airway obstructions and improve airflow through the windpipe. In many cases, it is performed through a scope.
- Open surgery -- To repair obstructions and scarring through an outside incision.
Learn more about the types of surgery that repair airway damage
Contact us
For more information about the conditions we treat or for help with airway problems, please contact us at 215-590-3440 and ask for the Airway Center coordinator.
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