Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound associated with labored breathing.

Wheezing occurs when a child or adult tries to breathe deeply through air passages that are narrowed or filled with mucus as a result of:

• Allergy
• Infection
• Illness
• Irritation.

Wheezing is most common when exhaling. It is sometimes accompanied by a mild sensation of tightness in the chest. Anxiety about not being able to breathe easily can cause muscle tension that makes matters worse.

Wheezing is the symptom most associated with asthma. It can be caused by:

• Exposure to allergens (food, pollen, and other substances, that cause a person to have an allergic reaction)
• Fumes
• Ice-cold drinks, or very cold air
• Medication
• Strenuous exercise
• Weather changes.
• Foreign objects trapped in the airway
• Cystic fibrosis, and other genetic disorders
• Respiratory illnesses like pneumonia, bronchitis, congestive heart failure, and emphysema.

To make a diagnosis, a family physician, allergist, or pulmonary...