What does diminished mean in medical terms?

What does diminished mean in medical terms?

What does diminished mean in medical terms?

(of an organ or body part) diminished in size or strength as a result of disease or injury or lack of use. synonyms: atrophied, wasted. Antonyms: enlarged, hypertrophied. (of an organ or body part) excessively enlarged as a result of increased size in the constituent cells.

What causes diminished or absent breath sounds?

Diminished or Absent Breath Sounds Intensity can be reduced due to several factors: Weak sound generation and/or impaired transmission. Various causes are shallow breathing, airway obstruction, bulla, hyperinflation, pneumothorax, pleural effusion or thickening, and obesity.

Can breath sounds be clear and diminished?

After using a bronchodilator, diminished lung sounds may become clear. Or, sometimes, as airways open up, wheezing may occur. This we consider good, as it means air is moving better, and so wheezing can now be heard.

Why are breath sounds diminished in COPD?

Conclusion: In the present study, the breath sound intensity in the COPD patients was diminished during deep inspiration due to a reduced airflow and increased during both resting inspiration and expiration.

Does COPD cause diminished lung sounds?

Patients with COPD often present with diminished breath sounds, prolonged expiratory time, and expiratory wheezing that initially may occur only on forced expiration.

Can asthma cause diminished breath sounds?

Diminished lung sounds This means exactly that your breath sounds can’t be heard in the bases through a stethoscope. They are tight and difficult to hear. Reduced airflow can cause diminished breath sounds which can be due to a flare-up of asthma etc.

How do you assess diminished breath sounds?

If you are unsure of what you are hearing through the stethoscope, or if breath sounds are diminished, ask him/her to breathe deeper and/or open the mouth wider. Perhaps ask him to breath faster; that may enhance the quality of the sounds you are hearing.

What causes diminished lung capacity?

Your lung capacity is the total amount of air that your lungs are able to hold. As we age, our lung capacity tends to decrease. However, our lung capacity can also decrease due to a chronic disease or extreme illness such as COPD, COVID-19, or cancer.

Why do COPD patients have diminished breath sounds?

What causes diminished breath sounds COPD?