Airway mucus can be a challenge for people with chronic lung conditions. Some people experience increased airway mucus only when having an exacerbation or flare-up. But for others, airway mucus is a part of daily life. So, how do you get that mucus out of your lungs? Well, there’s no simple answer to that question. Like medications, airway clearance exercises (those that help you to cough mucus out) work differently for different people. The exercise that helps one person may not work as well for another. It’s important to try different methods of airway clearance until you find one that works well for you. Here are some examples of common airway clearance exercises you can do at home:
- Huff Coughing: This special way of breathing can be helpful in bringing mucus up and out of your lungs. In huff coughing, you take a deep breath in and exhale while making a “ha” sound. You can view a video on huff coughing here.
- Controlled coughing: With this technique, you should inhale and then give short, quick coughs with your arms folded across your chest. Repeat as needed.
- Active Cycle of Breathing Technique (ACBT): In this activity, you use pursed lip breathing to help you control your breathing before coughing. In pursed lip breathing, you inhale slowly through your nose over the count of three. Then, slowly blow out through puckered lips. Imagine you’re blowing out candles on a birthday cake. This method slows down your breathing before you try ACBT, or you may use it to relax during an exacerbation or when you feel short of breath.
- Once you complete six breaths of pursed lip breathing, take a deep breath in, and hold it for three seconds. Then follow the huff coughing steps outlined above.
If you’d like to learn more about how to cope with airway mucus, including tools and equipment that can help you, click here. What airway clearance methods work best for you? Do you have any tips or tricks to make this task easier? Share them below!