4 Ways to Clear Mucus From the Lungs

One of the hallmark symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the excessive production of mucus. Not only can these secretions block already-narrowed air passages, they can become a breeding ground for infections such as ​bacterial pneumonia.

There are techniques that can help prevent this. When performed correctly, they can be just as important a facet of COPD treatment as bronchodilators and steroid medications.

Controlled coughing is a therapeutic technique that engages both the chest and stomach muscles in a way that improves mucus clearance.

There are two techniques you can use:

Deep coughing is especially useful for people who have difficulty mustering a strong, productive cough. To try it:

• Sit comfortably in a chair with your feet on the ground.
• Wrapping your arms around your stomach, inhale deeply.
• Keeping your lips pursed, emit a forceful cough while compressing your arms firmly against your stomach muscles. (This forces the diaphragm to do more of the work.)​

Huff coughing can also help. Follow these steps:

• Take a deep, slow breath to fully fill the lungs.
• Then, tensing your stomach muscles, make three rapid exhalations with your mouth open, making a "ha" sound with each exiting breath.
• Continue repeating this, keeping your core firm, until you feel the mucus breaking up. You can then take a deep cough to clear your lungs.

Chest physiotherapy (CPT) is a clearance technique performed either manually with a partner or alone with a mechanical device.

Manual CPT combines percussion (in which cupped hands are repeatedly clapped against the chest or back) and vibration (in which flat hands vibrate the chest wall) to loosen the mucus and induce a cough.

The technique can be performed in several positions to allow gravity to do some of the work. Your role as the recipient is to inhale and exhale slowly and fully until the mucus in loose enough to be expelled.

Airway clearance devices are hand-held machines that use high-frequency vibration, low-frequency sound waves, and other techniques to break up mucus. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and allow a person to clear mucus without the need of a partner. Some of the devices are worn like a vest, while others require you to breathe into them like a flute.

Both clearance techniques are commonly performed on a routine basis to keep the air passages unobstructed. Depending on the severity of the COPD symptoms, the routine can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to perform.

An expectorant is a type of oral medication that helps thin mucus so that it can be easily coughed up. Expectorants can also block the production of mucins, the main protein found in mucus.

While over-the-counter expectorants like Robitussin (dextromethorphan) or Mucinex (guaidenesin) are commonly used by people with COPD, they are not officially endorsed in the guidelines issued by the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

In addition to controlled coughing and physiotherapy, there are several natural remedies that can help promote lung clearance. Some are common-sense home treatments, while others employ traditional medicines and herbs to complement standard medical therapies.

Among them:

• Warm fluids can help loosen thickened mucus by elevating the temperature of the chest. Options include tea, warm broth, or hot water with lemon.
• Steam can do the same by introducing moist air into the air passages. You can use devices such as a cool-mist humidifier or steam vaporizer. Alternately, you can take a hot shower or breathe in vapors from a pot of simmering water.
• Honey has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that may help ease upper respiratory stress. A 2014 study published in BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine suggested that inhaling steam from honey-infused water can alleviate bronchial constriction and promote clearance.
• Chinese medicine has been long used to treat COPD but generally has limited research to support its use. Of those medicines that have been undergone controlled trials, mao huang (Herba ephedrae), tao ren (Semen persicae), and huang qin (Radix scutellariae) each have warming properties that appear to ease airway constriction. Speak to your doctor before trying any herbs or supplements.