When Do You Hear Rales?

Rales. Small clicking, bubbling, or rattling sounds in the lungs. They are heard when a person breathes in (inhales). They are believed to occur when air opens closed air spaces.

What does rales breath sounds indicate?

Crackles (or rales) are caused by fluid in the small airways or atelectasis. Crackles are referred to as discontinuous sounds; they are intermittent, nonmusical and brief. Crackles may be heard on inspiration or expiration.

What condition would you hear rales?

Crackles (Rales)

Crackles are also known as alveolar rales and are the sounds heard in a lung field that has fluid in the small airways. The sound crackles create are fine, short, high-pitched, intermittently crackling sounds. The cause of crackles can be from air passing through fluid, pus or mucus.