What type of airway sound is characterized by a high-pitched wheezing noise indicative of bronchoconstriction?

Wheezing is characterized by a high-pitched sound primarily produced during expiration as air flows through constricted airways. It is commonly associated with conditions that involve bronchoconstriction, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or an allergic reaction that causes the airways to narrow. The sound is caused by turbulent airflow through the narrowed passages in the lungs, hence the wheezing noise.

In contrast, stridor is a high-pitched sound that typically indicates obstruction in the upper airway, such as swelling or foreign body obstruction. Crowing, while also a high-pitched sound, can be related to respiratory distress in young children but does not specifically indicate bronchoconstriction. Gurgling denotes the sound of fluids in the airway and suggests a need for suctioning rather than bronchoconstriction. Thus, wheezing is the most accurate term to describe the airway sound resulting from bronchoconstriction.