Mucus Clearing Techniques Checklist (Print This out & Keep It Handy)

MUCUS CLEARING TECHNIQUES CHECKLIST (PRINT THIS OUT & KEEP IT HANDY)

Mucus Clearing Task Image Demonstration Technique

• Step 1: Sit down in a chair or on the edge of your bed with your feet ﬁrmly planted on the ground; lean forward slightly.

• Step 2: Cross your arms across your abdomen, then use diaphragmatic breathing to take a slow deep breath through your nose and hold it for 2-3 seconds. Deep (Controlled) Coughing • Step 3: Press your arms up against your stomach and use the strength of your stomach Technique (abdomen) muscles to push out the air, then deep cough 2-3 times.

• Step 4: Make sure to exhale using pursed lips.

• Step 5: Repeat until mucus is cleared from your airways.

• Step 1: Push out the stale air from your lungs by slowing your breathing and gently prolong exhalation over 3 to 4 breaths.

• Step 2: Inhale slowly and take a slightly deeper breath than normal.

• Step 3: Open up your airway and use your stomach muscles to cause a series of 3 rapid exhalations. While doing so, make a "hu, hu, hu" sound. Control your breathing using your diaphragm. Huff Coughing Technique • Step 4: Repeat the huff coughing technique by taking a smaller breath.

• Step 5: Again, repeat the huff coughing technique for a third time with a smaller partial breath.

• Step 6: Take a full breath of air deep into your lungs using controlled diaphragmatic breathing; Use a deep cough when you feel mucus breaking apart and moving up your airways.

Chest Physiotherapy (CPT) Techniques

• Step 1: Position yourself halfway between sitting up and laying ﬂat on a chair or bed. Place a pillow behind your back for support and comfort.

Manual Chest • Step 2: Your caregiver or therapist should percuss (clap) between your nipple and Percussions collarbone on the left side of your chest. Do this for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Step 3: Repeat step 2, except on the right side of your chest. (Chest physical therapy can be done with a cupped hand (percussion), shaking, or vibration techniques.)

• Step 1: Lean forward slightly on a chair or bed so you are halfway between sitting up and laying ﬂat. Place a pillow in front of your chest and wrap your arms around it.

Manual Back • Step 2: Have your caregiver/therapist percuss (clap) gently directly over your left Percussions shoulder blade with a cupped hand. Doing so for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Step 3: Switch to the right side and repeat step 2 for 2 to 3 minutes.

The postural drainage technique is often paired with chest physiotherapy and harnesses the power of gravity to assist in removing phlegm from your lungs and airways.

Even better is the fact that this mucus clearing technique can be done yourself, by a caregiver, friend or family member.

There are at least 10 different postural drainage positions, all of which are speciﬁcally Postural Drainage designed to promote the drainage of mucus from different parts of your lungs.

While in each of the varying postural drainage positions, either a family member or a caregiver should use their hand to form a cup and clap gently and rhythmically on your back or chest (depending on the position).

When done right, you should hear a hollow sound when your caregiver claps, however, if you hear a slapping sound their hand is not cupped enough.

You have probably seen or even used these types of medications before. If not, expectorants are a type of cough medicine that are speciﬁcally intended to help loosen the mucus in your lungs.

Allowing you to cough up secretions from your lungs with greater ease and effectiveness. Expectorants Expectorants are available over the counter or by prescription. (Mucus Medicine)

Expectorants Include: • Mucinex • Guaifenesin (Generic Form of Mucinex) • Robitussin

Airway Clearance Devices

PEP Devices Include: • Astra PEP Mask • AeroPEP • Pari PEP

• Step 1: Place the mouthpiece in your mouth and seal your lips around it. Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) • Step 2: Use your diaphragm to take a deep breath. Therapy

• Step 3: Using moderate force, exhale slowly through the valve for as long as possible. The increased pressure in the airways from the device will give you a coughing feeling.

• Step 4: Once you have a feeling to cough, inhale with a deep breath and hold it for 1-3 seconds, then cough to break up and loosen the mucus.

Continuing on the topic of airway clearing devices, HFCWO is performed with an inﬂatable vest that provides gentle oscillation against the chest wall by applying positive pressure air pulses. Resulting in increased airﬂow, improved mucus clearing ability, and a greater cough High Frequency clearing ability. Chest Wall Oscillation HFCWO Devices Include: (HFCWO) • The Vest Airway Clearance System (Pictured) • Medpulse Respiratory Vest System • The SmartVest

The Flutter mucus clearing device uses a combination of PEP therapy with high-frequency oscillations. By featuring a controlled vibration system, the Flutter mucus clearing device is able to gently osscilate both the small and large airways during exhalation. Causing mucus to be thinned, boosting airﬂow, and enhancing your ability to expel mucus and clear your Flutter Mucus lungs. Clearance System

Similar Mucus Clearing Devices Include: • The Acapella Device • The Cornet

• Step 1: Grab a chair and ﬁnd a relaxed position, be sure to sit up straight so your back is not touching the back of the chair.

• Step 2: Tilt your head in a slightly downward position, allowing your windpipe and throat to be wide open. This will allow the low frequency sound waves that are produced from you exhaling into the Lung Flute to easily travel deep into your lungs.

• Step 3: Hold the Lung Flute in a slightly downward position, while sealing your lips around the mouthpiece. Lung Flute Acoustic • Step 4: Begin inhaling, slightly deeper than normal. Impedance Device

• Step 5: Blow into the Lung Flute, just as if you were blowing out a candle. When using correctly you will hear the reed inside the Lung Flute make a ﬂuttering sound.

• Step 6: Remove the mouthpiece and quickly inhale, then place the Lung Flute back into your mouth and exhale through the mouthpiece.

• Step 7: Take the mouthpiece out of your mouth and wait 5 seconds, while taking several normal breaths. Repeat steps 2-7 as needed.

Additional Mucus Clearing Tips

Help reduce the thickness and stickiness of mucus by staying hydrated throughout the day. Ensuring you are well-hydrated will help to liquefy excess mucus and thus making it easier to cough up and expel from your airways. Aim to drink six to eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day, unless instructed otherwise by your physician. Stay Hydrated

Additionally, you should stay clear of sugary beverages such as soda or fruit drinks, and caffeinated beverages, as they are known to increase mucus in the lungs and throat. While also being mindful of how dairy products such as milk impact mucus production.

Control Your By this we mean that you should avoid taking quick, deep breaths after coughing. When Breathing breathing like this it may interfere with further mucus clearance.

As you are already well aware, clearing mucus is extremely difﬁcult when your airways are Use a constricted. By using a bronchodilator inhaler before performing one of the above coughing Bronchodilator techniques, your airways will become relaxed to make coughing and mucus clearance more Inhaler effective.