What are signs of partial airway obstruction?

What are signs of partial airway obstruction?

• A. Increased heart rate
• B. Silent breathing
• C. Inspiratory stridor and rocking chest motion
• D. Regular tidal volume

Answer: (C)

C is the correct answer because inspiratory stridor and rocking chest motion are classic signs that indicate partial airway obstruction. Inspiratory stridor is a high-pitched sound generated due to turbulent airflow through a narrowed airway during inhalation. This sound is often associated with conditions such as swelling or blockage in the upper airway. Rocking chest motion, or paradoxical chest movement, indicates that the chest is not expanding synchronously during breathing efforts, which can signal ineffective air exchange due to obstruction. In contrast, increased heart rate may occur due to stress, anxiety, or other factors and is not specific to airway obstruction. Silent breathing, while it may seem to relate to a lack of airflow, does not provide the specific indicators that suggest a partial obstruction is present. Regular tidal volume suggests that the breathing pattern is normal and air is moving freely, which contradicts the situation of an obstruction. Therefore, the presence of inspiratory stridor and rocking chest motion is a clear and specific indication of partial airway obstruction.

C is the correct answer because inspiratory stridor and rocking chest motion are classic signs that indicate partial airway obstruction. Inspiratory stridor is a high-pitched sound generated due to turbulent airflow through a narrowed airway during inhalation. This sound is often associated with conditions such as swelling or blockage in the upper airway. Rocking chest motion, or paradoxical chest movement, indicates that the chest is not expanding synchronously during breathing efforts, which can signal ineffective air exchange due to obstruction.

In contrast, increased heart rate may occur due to stress, anxiety, or other factors and is not specific to airway obstruction. Silent breathing, while it may seem to relate to a lack of airflow, does not provide the specific indicators that suggest a partial obstruction is present. Regular tidal volume suggests that the breathing pattern is normal and air is moving freely, which contradicts the situation of an obstruction. Therefore, the presence of inspiratory stridor and rocking chest motion is a clear and specific indication of partial airway obstruction.