What’s the Cause of Noisy Breathing? Stridor Vs. Stertor

Have you noticed a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing either in or out through your nose? While this embarrassing symptom may be derived from several causes, the most common is stemmed from Stridor or Stertor, both of which conditions define a blockage in the sufferer’s airway. Keep reading to learn the causes, symptoms, treatments, and differences of the uncomfortable Stridor and Stertor conditions.

Stridor Vs. Stertor

Normally, the flow of air from the upper to lower respiratory tract is relatively quiet both while awake and during rest. Those with stridor or stertor, however, will experience abnormal whistling sounds while breathing as a result from their airway being partially or completely blocked. Being more common in children, due to their airways being softer and narrower, adults can still suffer from noisy breathing symptoms at any age. This airway blockage can stem from several causes, including:

• Swelling in the throat or airway.
• Trauma to the airway, such as a fractured neck.
• An external object stuck in the nose or throat.
• Post-surgery complications.
• Bronchitis, tonsillitis, or epiglottitis.
• Tumors.
• Abscesses or infections along the airway.
• Regular and frequent smoking.

Really, while both these conditions highlight nearly identical issues, stridor is defined when obstruction is present at the laryngeal or tracheal level, whereas stertor is defined when obstruction is present above the larynx in the upper respiratory tract. As both of these conditions may exist in an individual simultaneously, stridor generally makes the high-pitch whistle sound and stertor can tend to sound a bit more like a snore. In addition to noisy breathing, other symptoms of stridor and stertor can include:

• Pain in the throat or neck.
• Excessive coughing or drooling.
• A fever that won’t go away.
• Hoarseness in the voice.
• Swallowing discomfort.
• Difficulty eating or drinking.
• Breathing difficulties.

Due to the intake of oxygen being a vital process to organ function and the health of the human body as a whole, long-term symptoms of noisy breathing can lead to a host of other painful, and potentially fatal, health conditions.

Treating Stridor & Stertor

After your medical provider has diagnosed you with stridor or stertor following several exams, treatment will depend on how heavily obstructed your airways are. While all treatments focus on opening up your airways and removing the blockage, treatment approaches vary, including:

• Medicine to reduce inflammation.
• Medicine to treat an infection.
• Performing the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge airway blockage.
• Surgery to remove the blockage.

Preventing Airway Obstruction

While preventing foreign objects from obstructing your airway through the mouth is more difficult, O2 Nose Filters provide the perfect solution from allowing harmful obstructions from entering through your nasal passages. Additionally, O2 Nose Filters has been proven in controlled studies to help protect wearers from inhaling harmful airborne particles such as pollen, bacteria, viruses, dust, and other pollutants. Independent laboratory tests demonstrate that our Advanced Electret Media in O2 Nose Filters block 90% of particulates at PM10 and 65% of particulates at PM2.5. Additionally, O2 Nose Filters are comfortable to wear due to their latex-free design and medical-grade Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) materials.

Our patented AEM™ (Advanced Electret Media) filter technology relies on the principles of electrostatic attraction. The high capture ratios and extended breathability attributed to O2’s AEM™ material allows airborne particles to be captured within the filter. Rather than using a ”˜screen’ approach to block the passage of particles, the charged fibers act as ”˜magnets’ to retain particles while still allowing air to pass through, making O2 Nose Filters both breathable and effective.

O2 Nose Filters provides inexpensive and effective security to protect people from harmful airborne diseases. While our nasal passageways try their best when it comes to filtering harmful particulate matter, they aren’t perfect. That’s why O2 Nose Filters are such an effective solution when it comes to improving our mental and physical health. Nose filters are a discreet, effective option to protect against airborne viruses and bacteria. The O2 Nose Filter uses our patented AEM™ electrostatic technology to capture allergens, viruses, and other particulates, making them a valuable tool for anyone who wants to drastically limit the obstructions, pollutants, and pollens they breathe in daily.