Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAt-Home TreatmentsControlled CoughingDeep BreathingOTC TreatmentPrescriptionsPhysiotherapyExerciseWhen to Seek Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
At-Home Treatments
Controlled Coughing
Deep Breathing
OTC Treatment
Prescriptions
Physiotherapy
Exercise
When to Seek Care
Removing mucus from the lungs is an important part of managing certain health conditions, such asbronchiectasisand chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Too much mucus can block narrowed air passages and make it hard for you to breathe. Increased mucus in the lungs can also lead to infections, such aspneumonia.
There are several ways to manage mucus in the lungs, including natural and at-home options like inhaling steam. Controlled coughing can be used to clear the lungs, as can chest percussion. Airway devices and medications are options you can discuss with your healthcare provider, too.
Natural Remedies
Natural remedies may help reduce the mucus in your lungs. Keep in mind that even though they are “natural,” complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies can have side effects.
CAM therapies that may help clear mucus in the lungs include:
What causes phlegm?The body makes phlegm and mucus to line the tissues, protect and moisturize them, and trap potential irritants and germs.
What causes phlegm?
The body makes phlegm and mucus to line the tissues, protect and moisturize them, and trap potential irritants and germs.
You can use at-home exercises to help prevent and decrease mucus buildup in your lungs. If you have lung disease these techniques should be used regularly to loosen and remove the excess mucus from your lungs.
Controlled coughing engages the chest and stomach muscles to clear mucus in the lungs. Unlike a hacking cough that uses the chest muscles more than the diaphragm, controlled coughing focuses on stabilizing the core muscles to engage the diaphragm more effectively.
There are two common methods of controlled coughing: deep and huff.
Deep Coughing
To use deep coughing to clear mucus in the lungs:
Huff Coughing
To use huff coughing to clear mucus in the lungs:
Can an X-ray show mucus in the lungs?A chest X-ray can reveal if there is anything in or around your lungs, such as mucus plugs blocking the air passages.
Can an X-ray show mucus in the lungs?
A chest X-ray can reveal if there is anything in or around your lungs, such as mucus plugs blocking the air passages.
When you do deep breathing exercises, you slowly breathe in (inhale) and breathe out (exhale) to help your lungs expand.These breathing exercises are examples ofpulmonary hygiene—treatments that use physical manipulation techniques to help you cough up sticky mucus and clear your lungs.
Your respiratory therapist can teach you deep breathing techniques that you can do at home on a regular schedule to help keep your lungs clear.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Treatments
Several OTC medications, such as Robitussin and Mucinex (guaifenesin), can help clear excess mucus from your lungs. These medications areexpectorants, used to thin and loosen mucus in the lungs to make it easier to cough up. They can also block the production of mucin proteins.
Most expectorants can be bought at a pharmacy or grocery store, but some combination drugs that have expectorants and other ingredients in them require a healthcare provider’s prescription.
Some people also use Vicks VapoRub to treat mucus buildup. This product contains camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol. These ingredients help control the cough reflex.Vicks VapoRub is not a decongestant and won’t clear up mucus. It also should not be used on children younger than 2
Prescription Medications
These medications work differently than expectorants.Mucolyticsbreak the chemical bonds in mucus to help make it easier to cough up.
Chest Physiotherapy to Loosen Mucus
While you are having chest physiotherapy, make sure you breathe in and out slowly and fully until the mucus in your lungs is loose enough to cough up. Your therapist will show you how to get into a position that uses gravity to help the mucus in your lungs drain.
People living withprimary ciliary dyskinesia(PCD) orcystic fibrosis(CF), an inherited disease, need to manage mucus in the lungs through a combination of techniques practiced across a lifetime.Chest physiotherapy is a common strategy with CF, but exercise also appears to offer airway clearance benefits.
Exercise through pulmonary rehabilitation programs also is recommended for people diagnosed with bronchiectasis who need to clear mucus.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Mucus in the airway can make it hard to breathe, so it’s important to discuss your symptoms with your healthcare team on an ongoing basis. Call your provider if you notice a change in your symptoms, including the amount or color of mucus that may suggest an infection. Also notify them if you are having chest pain, heart rate changes, or other symptoms with your airway mucus.
Seek immediate care if you are unable to breathe because of mucus in the airway.
Summary
Regularly clearing mucus from your lungs is part of living with bronchiectasis, COPD, and other health conditions. Breathing techniques, medications, chest physiotherapy, and alternative therapies can help to manage mucus and prevent lung infections.
It’s important to use mucus-reducing strategies on a regular basis, not just when your symptoms act up. If you have been diagnosed with pulmonary disease, talk to your healthcare provider or respiratory therapist about the best approaches for managing mucus in your lungs.
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