What it means
When less air moves through an area of lung, or when something between the lung and the stethoscope muffles the sound, the breath sounds there are faint. This can happen with shallow breathing, a collapsed area of lung, air or fluid around the lung, a large chest wall, or the overinflated lungs of emphysema. When no sound is heard at all, nurses chart breath sounds as absent.
For the nurse
Listen over the same spots on both sides, from top to bottom, and compare. Report new diminished or absent sounds, especially on one side or with shortness of breath, chest pain or a falling oxygen saturation.
In a chart
"Breath sounds diminished in right lower lobe; client encouraged to use incentive spirometer 10 times an hour."
At a glance
| Also written | diminished breath sounds, decreased breath sounds |
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Related terms
pulmonary
Relating to the lungs.
airway
The passages that carry air into and out of the lungs, from the nose and mouth to the smallest air tubes.
auscultation
Listening to the sounds inside the body, usually with a stethoscope.