Röchelnde

Röchelnde is a German adjective formed from röcheln (to wheeze) and is used to describe a person or sound that is characterized by wheezing. The form can function attributively, as in röchelnde Atemwege or röchelnde Stimme, or as a nominalized participle, die Röchelnde, to refer to a person who wheezes. It is primarily a descriptive term and does not constitute a medical diagnosis.

In medical contexts, röchelnde Atemwege or röchelnde Atmung describe audible breath sounds caused by partial obstruction or inflammation of the airways. Wheezing is typically described as a high-pitched, musical sound that appears mainly during exhalation. The term helps distinguish wheezing from other respiratory sounds such as stridor or normal breathing. Common underlying causes include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, pneumonia, heart failure, allergic reactions, or obstruction from a foreign body. Assessment often involves auscultation and may be complemented by pulmonary function testing and imaging.

In everyday language and literature, röchelnde can convey illness, frailty, or distress without implying a specific diagnosis. A röchelnde Stimme, for example, can evoke a sense of weakness or vulnerability, while röchelnde Atmung may be used to heighten tension or realism in a narrative.

The term remains a descriptive expression within German, bridging clinical description and general usage. It is related to röcheln as the verb form and to other terms for breathing sounds used in medical and literary contexts.