Keeping your airways and lungs clean as well as healthy is vital. As per the experts, if you don’t have clean lungs, then you are at the risk of growing sputum (a mixture of saliva and mucus). It can lead you to experience inflammation and lungs damage.
You need to give extra care to your lungs if you are suffering from COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Thus, you must take the adequate measures to keep your lungs and airways clean. Not sure how to do it? Use the tips shared below.
Taking a mucolytic or an expectorant is effective
The first thing experts suggest to keep your lungs healthy is to take an expectorant or mucolytic. These medicines are effective enough to make the phlegm thinner and you may cough easily. But, you need to consult with your doctor before taking these medications. You can also take non-prescription expectorant if your doctor gives green signal to it.
Cough in the proper way
Lots of people cough while lying on their bed. It is the not the ideal way to cough as it can increase the risk of complications. Hence, you must sit up while coughing. To cough in the proper way, you should sit in straight position and then you should bend slightly forward.
Huff Cough technique is useful
Hoff Cough technique requires you to have several mini-coughs instead of having one big cough. It can prove helpful in clearing mucus. In this technique, you have to take a deep breath in (holding for a few seconds). After that, you should use your muscles to make quick exhalation burst focusing on the stomach.
Percussion and postural drainage are also helpful
These techniques can be helpful for you in removing mucus from the lungs into the airways. This way you can cough it out easily. Some drainage positions, deep breathing, percussion and coughing, everything is used in this technique.
Purchase an airway clearance device
An airway clearance device is a contemporary product. You can use it to vibrate as well as loosen the mucus. As a result, it can get easy for you to cough it out. Acapella and Flutter are the most commonly used devices. However, you should purchase any of it only if your doctor suggests it.
Experts also recommend that you should drink at least two quarts of water. It is helpful in clearing mucus. If you have any respiratory problem or have some queries about it, then you can get it touch with our respiratory critical care specialist Dr. Manav Manchanda.