Breath Sounds - You are now listening to a typical example of
breath sounds with scattered wet crackles. Also known as rales,
these abnormal breath sounds are usually caused by excessive
fluid within the airways. This fluid could be due to an exudate,
as in pneumonia or other infections of the lung, or a
transudate, as in congestive heart failure. You will notice that
crackles sound just as they are named, and are typically
inspiratory. The crackles in this example are particularly wet
sounding, with dry crackles sounding more like rubbing hair
together next to your ear or like the sound of opening Velcro.