Test Your Knowledge of Respiratory Symptoms and Signs

Common Symptoms and Signs in Respiratory Medicine

Cough is a non-specific symptom that can indicate irritation from the pharynx to the lungs and can be acute, subacute, or chronic.
Dysphonia or hoarseness is most commonly caused by laryngitis, but it can also be a sign of lung cancer.
Wheeze is a high-pitched whistling sound produced by air passing through narrowed small airways and can be brought on by exercise, waking at night, or in the morning.
Stridor is a high-pitched harsh inspiratory sound due to partial obstruction of the upper airways, while stertor is muffled speech due to naso- or oropharyngeal blockage.
Sputum is mucus produced from the respiratory tract, and changes in its color, volume, taste, smell, and consistency can hint at underlying pathology.
Haemoptysis or coughing up blood from the respiratory tract almost always requires investigation, and its amount, appearance, duration, and frequency can provide clues to underlying causes.
Dyspnoea or breathlessness can have a sudden or gradual onset, and its severity and associated pain can indicate different respiratory conditions.
Chest pain can be respiratory or cardiac, and its type and location can suggest different causes.
General inspection can reveal respiratory rate, accessory muscle use, cachexia, cyanosis, altered mental status, and thoracotomy scars.
Hands can show signs of CO2 retention, clubbing, and tar staining and nail discoloration.
Trachea can be central or displaced, and its position can indicate different respiratory conditions.
Auscultation can detect changes in the intensity and nature of breath sounds, as well as added sounds like wheeze, creps, and rub, which can suggest different respiratory diseases.Respiratory Symptoms and Signs: Key Points and Common Findings
Respiratory symptoms are common in patients seeking medical attention.
Look out for red flags associated with cough.
Approach signs (objective findings) in a systematic approach.
Start with general inspection, observe hands, neck, face, examine trachea and then anterior to posterior chest.
Symptoms and signs together correlate with common medical presentations/diseases.
Central cyanosis, agitation, or drowsiness are life-threatening symptoms in severe asthma.
In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, progressive shortness of breath on exertion is the initial symptom, which eventually occurs at rest too.
Bronchiectasis symptoms include a productive cough, copious amounts of purulent sputum, recurrent LRTIs, haemoptysis, and a chronic/long history (years).
Pleural effusion symptoms include shortness of breath and cough.
Pneumothorax symptoms include acute unilateral pleuritic pain, acute SOB, and hyper-resonant percussion.
Pulmonary thromboembolism symptoms include pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, and haemoptysis/cough.
Tachypnoea, finger clubbing, decreased chest expansion, and fine inspiratory creps bilaterally are common signs in severe asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.

Common Symptoms and Signs in Respiratory Medicine

Cough is a non-specific symptom that can indicate irritation from the pharynx to the lungs and can be acute, subacute, or chronic.
Dysphonia or hoarseness is most commonly caused by laryngitis, but it can also be a sign of lung cancer.
Wheeze is a high-pitched whistling sound produced by air passing through narrowed small airways and can be brought on by exercise, waking at night, or in the morning.
Stridor is a high-pitched harsh inspiratory sound due to partial obstruction of the upper airways, while stertor is muffled speech due to naso- or oropharyngeal blockage.
Sputum is mucus produced from the respiratory tract, and changes in its color, volume, taste, smell, and consistency can hint at underlying pathology.
Haemoptysis or coughing up blood from the respiratory tract almost always requires investigation, and its amount, appearance, duration, and frequency can provide clues to underlying causes.
Dyspnoea or breathlessness can have a sudden or gradual onset, and its severity and associated pain can indicate different respiratory conditions.
Chest pain can be respiratory or cardiac, and its type and location can suggest different causes.
General inspection can reveal respiratory rate, accessory muscle use, cachexia, cyanosis, altered mental status, and thoracotomy scars.
Hands can show signs of CO2 retention, clubbing, and tar staining and nail discoloration.
Trachea can be central or displaced, and its position can indicate different respiratory conditions.
Auscultation can detect changes in the intensity and nature of breath sounds, as well as added sounds like wheeze, creps, and rub, which can suggest different respiratory diseases.Respiratory Symptoms and Signs: Key Points and Common Findings
Respiratory symptoms are common in patients seeking medical attention.
Look out for red flags associated with cough.
Approach signs (objective findings) in a systematic approach.
Start with general inspection, observe hands, neck, face, examine trachea and then anterior to posterior chest.
Symptoms and signs together correlate with common medical presentations/diseases.
Central cyanosis, agitation, or drowsiness are life-threatening symptoms in severe asthma.
In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, progressive shortness of breath on exertion is the initial symptom, which eventually occurs at rest too.
Bronchiectasis symptoms include a productive cough, copious amounts of purulent sputum, recurrent LRTIs, haemoptysis, and a chronic/long history (years).
Pleural effusion symptoms include shortness of breath and cough.
Pneumothorax symptoms include acute unilateral pleuritic pain, acute SOB, and hyper-resonant percussion.
Pulmonary thromboembolism symptoms include pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, and haemoptysis/cough.
Tachypnoea, finger clubbing, decreased chest expansion, and fine inspiratory creps bilaterally are common signs in severe asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.

Common Symptoms and Signs in Respiratory Medicine

Cough is a non-specific symptom that can indicate irritation from the pharynx to the lungs and can be acute, subacute, or chronic.
Dysphonia or hoarseness is most commonly caused by laryngitis, but it can also be a sign of lung cancer.
Wheeze is a high-pitched whistling sound produced by air passing through narrowed small airways and can be brought on by exercise, waking at night, or in the morning.
Stridor is a high-pitched harsh inspiratory sound due to partial obstruction of the upper airways, while stertor is muffled speech due to naso- or oropharyngeal blockage.
Sputum is mucus produced from the respiratory tract, and changes in its color, volume, taste, smell, and consistency can hint at underlying pathology.
Haemoptysis or coughing up blood from the respiratory tract almost always requires investigation, and its amount, appearance, duration, and frequency can provide clues to underlying causes.
Dyspnoea or breathlessness can have a sudden or gradual onset, and its severity and associated pain can indicate different respiratory conditions.
Chest pain can be respiratory or cardiac, and its type and location can suggest different causes.
General inspection can reveal respiratory rate, accessory muscle use, cachexia, cyanosis, altered mental status, and thoracotomy scars.
Hands can show signs of CO2 retention, clubbing, and tar staining and nail discoloration.
Trachea can be central or displaced, and its position can indicate different respiratory conditions.
Auscultation can detect changes in the intensity and nature of breath sounds, as well as added sounds like wheeze, creps, and rub, which can suggest different respiratory diseases.Respiratory Symptoms and Signs: Key Points and Common Findings
Respiratory symptoms are common in patients seeking medical attention.
Look out for red flags associated with cough.
Approach signs (objective findings) in a systematic approach.
Start with general inspection, observe hands, neck, face, examine trachea and then anterior to posterior chest.
Symptoms and signs together correlate with common medical presentations/diseases.
Central cyanosis, agitation, or drowsiness are life-threatening symptoms in severe asthma.
In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, progressive shortness of breath on exertion is the initial symptom, which eventually occurs at rest too.
Bronchiectasis symptoms include a productive cough, copious amounts of purulent sputum, recurrent LRTIs, haemoptysis, and a chronic/long history (years).
Pleural effusion symptoms include shortness of breath and cough.
Pneumothorax symptoms include acute unilateral pleuritic pain, acute SOB, and hyper-resonant percussion.
Pulmonary thromboembolism symptoms include pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, and haemoptysis/cough.
Tachypnoea, finger clubbing, decreased chest expansion, and fine inspiratory creps bilaterally are common signs in severe asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.