Final answer:
Expiratory stridor suggests a partial airway obstruction evident on exhale, often accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath and cough. It typically indicates a respiratory issue that requires further medical evaluation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Expiratory stridor classically indicates a condition where there is a partial obstruction or narrowing of the airway, which becomes evident when the person exhales. Stridor is a high-pitched sound that is usually heard best when breathing out, and is different from wheezes, which can be heard on both inhalation and exhalation. This expiratory sound could be due to various causes like respiratory infections, allergic reactions leading to airway irritation, or even congenital anomalies of the larynx or trachea.
Symptoms accompanying expiratory stridor can include shortness of breath, cough, hoarseness, and pain with swallowing. These symptoms suggest a potential disruption to normal airflow and could be indicative of conditions that cause inflammation or constriction of the respiratory airways, such as bronchospasm, chest tightness, wheezing, dyspnea, or even more severe pathology like tracheal stenosis or a foreign body obstruction.