How to Get Rid of Mucus in Your Chest
We’re in the middle of a pandemic, in the tail end of the flu season and smack dab in the middle of allergy season–whew! All of that is a cause for a lot of mucus build up in your chest and lungs. One nurse expertly shared what is done in a hospital when a person has a build up of mucus. In the video you’ll find below, she shares how something called “Chest Physiotherapy” (CPT), which helps drain the lungs and mobilize your airflow.
Chest physiotherapy is a group of physical techniques that improve lung function and help you breathe better. Chest PT, or CPT, expands the lungs, strengthens breathing muscles and loosens and improves drainage of thick lung secretions. Chest PT helps treat such diseases as cystic fibrosis and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). It also keeps the lungs clear to prevent pneumonia after surgery and during periods of immobility.
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Types of chest PT
Healthcare providers often use different types of chest physiotherapy together, including:
– Chest percussion and vibration to help loosen lung secretions. Some patients wear a special CPT vest hooked up to a machine. The machine makes the vest vibrate at high frequency to break up the secretions.
– Controlled coughing techniques to help break up lung secretions so your caregiver can suction them out or you can cough them up.
