Start with the Frequency Dial at Its Lowest Resistance

Acapella

This device sends vibrations into your airways to help loosen your secretions. When you breathe out into it, your exhaled air is intermittently blocked by a pivoting cone, creating the vibrations.

Start with the frequency dial at its lowest resistance  Clockwise increases resistance (frequency)  Anticlockwise decreases resistance.

Get yourself in a comfortable position, e.g. with your elbows resting on a table. Allow your breathing to get relaxed and rhythmic.

Take a breath in through your nose, slightly deeper than normal.

Hold your breath for a second or two.

Breathe out through the Acapella:  actively but not forcefully  keeping a seal on the mouthpiece  over about 3 seconds. If you can’t exhale for 3 seconds, try increasing the resistance.

Continue for about 10 breaths.

Then do one of your huffs (with either a small breath in, a medium breath in, or a deep breath in, depending on whether your secretions are deep in your lungs or higher up). If your sputum is ready, cough it up; otherwise avoid coughing.

Have a sip of water.

Allow your breathing to get steady and relaxed again.

Continue until your lungs are clear (to check if your lungs are, breathe out as far as you can; if you still have secretions, you will feel them crackling). Experiment with the level of resistance until you get the best results.

Avoid coughing unless you have secretions to expectorate.

Intersperse the Acapella with doing your ‘Breathing technique to clear secretions’. Experiment with how much you do of each. You can also try huffing through your Acapella.

Alex Hough, Respiratory Physiotherapist. www.alexhough.com. 01323 638615