Join over 700,000 people who receive the latest news about lung health, including COVID-19, research, air quality, inspiring stories and resources. Show Thank you! You will now receive email updates from the American Lung Association. COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a long-term illness that makes it hard to breathe. When you have COPD, air does not flow easily into and out of your lungs. You may be short of breath, cough a lot, and have a lot of mucus in your lungs. Learning to clear your lungs may help you save energy and oxygen and may also help prevent lung infections. There are three things you can do to clear your lungs:
How do you do controlled coughing, postural drainage, and chest percussion?Controlled coughingCoughing is how your body tries to get rid of mucus. But the kind of coughing you cannot control makes things worse. It causes your airways to close. It also traps the mucus in your lungs. Controlled coughing comes from deep in your lungs. It loosens mucus and moves it though your airways. It is best to do it after you use your inhaler or other medicine. Follow these steps for controlled coughing:
Postural drainagePostural drainage means lying down in different positions to help drain mucus from your lungs. Hold each position for 5 minutes. Do it about 30 minutes after you use your inhaler. Make sure you have an empty stomach. If you need to cough, sit up and do controlled coughing. Follow these steps for postural drainage:
Chest percussionChest percussion means that you lightly tap your chest and back. The tapping loosens the mucus in your lungs. Follow these steps to do chest percussion:
CreditsCurrent as of: Author: Healthwise Staff Current as of: July 6, 2021 Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Ken Y. Yoneda MD - Pulmonology & Brian D. O'Brien MD - Internal Medicine & Hasmeena Kathuria MD - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Sleep Medicine
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. What dissolves mucus in lungs?Expectorants, such as guaifenesin (Mucinex, Robitussin) can thin and loosen mucus so it will clear out of your throat and chest. Prescription medications. Mucolytics, such as hypertonic saline (Nebusal) and dornase alfa (Pulmozyme) are mucus thinners that you inhale through a nebulizer.
Is it good to cough up mucus with COPD?As annoying as this coughing may be, it actually serves a useful function. Deep coughing clears the mucus that clogs your airways, allowing you to breathe more easily. Some doctors teach their patients how to cough and encourage them to do so often.
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