Which finding is listed as a sign of pneumothorax?

Which finding is listed as a sign of pneumothorax?

• A. Chest Pain: Sharp pain that worsens with deep breaths
• B. Dyspnea: Shortness of breath
• C. Tachypnea: Increased breathing rate
• D. Decreased Breath Sounds: Reduced or absent sounds on the affected side

Answer: (D)

In pneumothorax, air in the pleural space causes the lung on the affected side to collapse, so what you hear when you listen with a stethoscope becomes quieter or absent over that area. This decrease in breath sounds is a clear, objective finding — a sign you can observe during a physical exam. Chest pain and shortness of breath are common symptoms patients report, but they’re not signs detected by the clinician. A rapid breathing rate can occur, but it isn’t as specific to identifying the collapsed lung as the auscultated finding of decreased breath sounds on the affected side.

In pneumothorax, air in the pleural space causes the lung on the affected side to collapse, so what you hear when you listen with a stethoscope becomes quieter or absent over that area. This decrease in breath sounds is a clear, objective finding — a sign you can observe during a physical exam. Chest pain and shortness of breath are common symptoms patients report, but they’re not signs detected by the clinician. A rapid breathing rate can occur, but it isn’t as specific to identifying the collapsed lung as the auscultated finding of decreased breath sounds on the affected side.