Just as grunting is a natural reflex, when a person does it very often, it can already be a sign of some disease. Allergic patients, people with gastro-oesophageal reflux, but also patients taking certain medications, among others, may have extremely frequent grunting. When should frequent wheezing attract attention and how can the problem be dealt with?
Wheezing - like coughing - is one of the human body's defensive reactions, in which case the aim is to clear the throat of lingering structures. If one grunts occasionally, there is no cause for concern, but it is different if the patient grunts frequently.
Frequent grunting can be associated with secretions running down the back wall of the throat. The problem may occur in the course of various infections and, in addition to the above-mentioned phenomenon, may be accompanied by such discomforts as hoarseness, sore throat or very frequent swallowing.
Patients may grunt more frequently than usual due to reflux, particularly in those whose retching stomach contents irritate the laryngeal and pharyngeal structures. Frequent wheezing may be associated with the use of certain medications (e.g. angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, used to treat high blood pressure), as well as with allergies.
It is also worth mentioning that frequent whe ezing can be... a tic. This is not an uncommon phenomenon, by the way - grunting is considered one of the five most common tics.
If the patient is grunting a lot, it is worth looking for the cause of the problem, as treatment of allergies or reflux may lead to a cessation of the problem. In addition, patients can take measures that may also reduce the frequency of the wheezing sound, such as drinking water frequently or keeping the air at home humid.