So when it's hard to breathe because of mucus in your lungs, you have three things you can do to help move the mucus out: postural drainage, chest percussion, and controlled coughing. Use these techniques to help clear your lungs and make breathing easier.
Postural drainage is a way to change your body position to help your lungs drain. If you have a long-term (chronic) lung problem associated with excessive mucus, or you have increased mucus from an infection, lying with your chest lower than your belly (abdomen) can help loosen and drain extra mucus from your lungs.
Bronchiectasis is a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened, leading to a build-up of excess mucus that can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection. The most common symptoms of bronchiectasis include: a persistent cough that usually brings up phlegm (sputum) breathlessness.
In airway diseases, mucus plugging caused by excessive mucus or an impaired clearance results in not only respiratory symptoms, such as cough and sputum,1 but also lower lung functions and subsequently more frequent exacerbations in asthma or COPD.
Guaifenesin is an expectorant that helps to thin and loosen mucus in the lungs, making it easier to cough up the mucus. Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant that affects a certain part of the brain (cough center), reducing the urge to cough.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease that is passed down through families. It is caused by a defective gene that makes the body produce abnormally thick and sticky fluid, called mucus. This mucus builds up in the breathing passages of the lungs and in the pancreas.
So here's the big question: Should you spit or swallow your phlegm? Even though it might taste nasty, “there's nothing wrong with swallowing it,” Dr. Comer says. In fact, that's probably what your body expects you to do, which is why phlegm naturally drains down into the back of your throat.
Vicks products cannot cure the cold or flu, but they can help relieve chest congestion symptoms so you can feel better while your body heals from the cold or flu virus. When you have chest congestion symptoms, the mucus build-up in your lungs can become very thick and dense.
Common Symptoms of Mucus Buildup in the Lungs:
Difficulty Sleeping. Sore Throat. Chest Congestion. Cough that Produces Phlegm.
These symptoms can be unpleasant, but they usually get better on their own in about 7 to 10 days. The cough and mucus can last up to 3 weeks.
Your body usually makes thicker mucus when you have a cold (caused by viruses) or sinus infection (caused by bacteria).
Deep breathing is a simple technique to expand your lungs and help clear your phlegm. You can do this many times during the day in any place or position. Make sure you are comfortable and your chest and shoulders are relaxed. Sit in a comfortable position.
Mucus can tell quite the health story. Too much mucus is a sign of a chronic respiratory condition, acute illness, and some types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 1 While mucus can be beneficial to the body, producing too much mucus can cause breathing difficulties and infection.
Coughing up phlegm is a normal symptom of colds and other health conditions. But coughing up phlegm without feeling sick could indicate a more serious underlying issue like heart or lung disease.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic (inherited) disease that causes sticky, thick mucus to build up in organs, including the lungs and the pancreas. In people who have CF, thick mucus clogs the airways and makes it difficult to breathe.
How CT scans are used in CF. CF causes the buildup of mucus in the lungs, airways, and nasal passages. This mucus can be visualized on CT scans.
I'm occasionally asked whether swallowing mucus produced with a respiratory infection is harmful. It's not; luckily the stomach works to neutralise bacteria and recycle the other cellular debris. Some people do report a queasy feeling in the stomach during such infections.