Crepitation is what?

In medicine, there are many different terms that are clear only to doctors. If they are heard by a person who is not related to medical matters, he does not understand what is at stake. One of the most common concepts is "crepitus". This word can be heard from many doctors during the check. What is crepitation? This will be discussed in this article.

Crepitation: description and types of symptom

The term in the medical field denotes a crisp characteristic sound that is detected by palpation (probing) or auscultation (listening).

There are several types of crepitations:

• Bony. A crunchy sound appears due to the friction between the bone fragments that are touching each other. This kind is revealed by listening and probing, and also as a specific symptom for bone fracture. Can serve to diagnose fractures at the time of the first examination of the victim.
• Subcutaneous crepitation. This is a symptom that occurs when you listen or palpate in those moments when there is pressure on the head of the membrane with the areas of the body that have accumulations of gas bubbles in the subcutaneous tissue. Symptom is typical for subcutaneous emphysema or anaerobic infection.
• Alveolar crepitation. This is a symptom determined by listening to the lungs. It resembles the sound produced by rubbing the hair, which is sandwiched between the fingers. This specific symptom occurs with acute pneumonia. They are accompanied by the stages of appearance and resorption of exudate in the alveoli. Alveolar crepitation is heard as a series of clicks in the higher phase of inspiration.

You can also highlight a kind of tendon crepitus that occurs when probing the swelling in the tendon site, which is struck by tenosynovitis.

During movement in the joints, a crunching sound can also occur. Articular crepitation is a characteristic symptom of osteoarthritis. Yet this disease is called osteoarthrosis. With it, the cartilaginous tissue of the surfaces of the joints is affected, and the treatment takes a very long time.

Crepitation: the causes of the onset of a symptom

The main reason is the friction of tissues in the body, which goes beyond the norm.

Alveolar crepitation occurs due to "splitting" at the moments of inspiration of the alveolar walls, which were stuck together during exhalation due to the presence of transudate, exudate or blood in the alveoli. This type of crepitus is heard in the following cases:

• At the 1st and 3rd stages of croupous pneumonia.
• In the case of a lung infarction.
• With congestion in the lungs.

Also a symptom can be heard in the lungs with alveolar lesions, which are caused by systemic diseases.

Subcutaneous type of crepitus is detected when:

• With subcutaneous emphysema.
• Presence of anaerobic pathogens.

It is also possible to identify this type when introducing gas into various parts of the body for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment.

Crepitation, which occurs in the joints, is observed:

• With rheumatoid arthritis.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Knee dysfunction.

Symptoms of crepitus

If there is a crunch, it is possible that this is a symptom of a disease that can endanger human life. It is very difficult to independently identify crepitation. Other symptoms that accompany it, depend on the causes and location of localization.

Crepitation in the lungs can be accompanied by cyanosis of the skin and lips, rapid breathing, shortness of breath and coughing, nausea or vomiting, a feeling of pressure or chest pain.

The following symptoms are also possible, depending on the disease:

• A liquid stool.
• Sweating.
• Hemoplegia.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Loss of consciousness.

The main symptom of subcutaneous creping is the presence of swelling of the subcutaneous tissue.

The crepitation of bone fragments can be accompanied by impaired functions, pain in the injured area, swelling and bruising, which may appear later.

Articular crepitation is accompanied by pain in unhealthy joints, which is aggravated by stress, swelling, poor mobility. Also, local fever and redness of the skin are possible.

Diagnostics

The most common symptom in the lungs is listening. The sound can resemble wheezing and crunching, which change their caliber at times of coughing.

Also crepitation can manifest itself as a noise that occurs when rubbing the pleura, which is inflamed. Noise can have a long duration and can be heard with both inspiration and exhalation.

The bone symptom is revealed by feeling the place of the fracture, and the sound is often heard even from a distance.

Subcutaneous crepitation is also diagnosed by palpation.

The joint is determined by feeling the patient's joint. At the same time complaints of the patient are taken into account. The cause is established by X-ray examination.

Treatment of crepitus

Since this is a symptom, not a disease, it can not be cured. And eliminate crepitations will only happen in the case of treatment of the pathology that caused it. Depending on the underlying disease, only the doctor can prescribe the right treatment, as a result of which the symptom will disappear.