Airway Clearance: Keeping your lungs clear

Bronchial Hygiene Therapy or Cough Removal Techniques

Coughing is the basic Airway Clearance Technique. The lungs produce secretions in order to protect against foreign particles entering the body. The secretions can be cleared from the lungs by natural defence mechanisms like Coughing, huffing, breathing out and the movement of cilia.

Cough is a reflex consisting of a deep inspiration followed by a forced expiratory manoeuvre performed against a closed glottis to clear mucus with high-speed airflow. But sometimes mucus cannot be cleared with a coughing due to impaired coughing reflex and makes you feel tired and breathless.

Factors affecting Impaired Airway clearance

Smoke, oxygen therapy, alcohol and Dehydration
Chest infection or lungs disorders

It is important to keep your lungs clear to prevent from repeated chest infections that have been shown to worsen the lung function.

Aims of Airway Clearance Therapy

To breathe more freely and to get more oxygen into the body.
To improve lungs efficiency.
To promote expansion of the lungs.
To eliminate secretions from the lungs.

Promoting Airway Clearance

The Airway clearance can be aided through the techniques and/or through the devices. There are a variety of airway clearance techniques coordinated with breathing techniques. They If you regularly produce sputum, your respiratory physiotherapist will assist you to find a technique and/or device that works best for you.

Airway Clearance Techniques

Assisted Coughing

Huffing

Active Cycle of Breathing Techniques

Manual Techniques – Percussion/ Vibration

Postural drainage

Airway Clearance - Through Devices

Oscillatory PEP devices – Flutter

Oscillatory PEP devices - Acapella

Cough Assist – Mechanical Insufflator and Exsufflator

Consultation with your Respiratory Physiotherapist to choose the right technique or right airway clearance device for you as per your lung capacity, age and efforts and other physical characteristics

Airway Clearance Techniques

Airway Clearance: Keeping your lungs clear

Factors affecting Impaired Airway clearance

Aims of Airway Clearance Therapy

Promoting Airway Clearance

Airway Clearance Techniques

Airway Clearance - Through Devices

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