10. Coarse crackles in inspiration
You can also read about them as rales. It is a clicking or popping sound heard through the stethoscope. COPD patients are more likely to produce these sounds in inspiration, and it happens because air bubbles are formed as air passes through the fluid. It is a sign that the airways are filled with mucus. After coughing, the mucus dislodges, and the crackling sound reduces or goes away.