A wheeze (formally called sibilant rhonchi in medical terminology) is a continuous, coarse, whistling sound produced in the respiratory airways during breathing.For wheezes to occur, some part of the respiratory tree must be narrowed or obstructed, or airflow velocity within the respiratory tree must be heightened.he differential diagnosis of wheezing is wide, and the reason for wheezing in a given patient is determined by considering the characteristics of the wheezes and the historical and clinical findings made by the examining physician.