How to Clear Mucus from the Lungs with COPD?

COPD makes breathing hard. It impacts the lungs and airways. It often causes excess mucus. This mucus can block airways, making breathing tougher and raising infection risks.
So, managing mucus is crucial for lung health and improving life. Patients can adopt specific methods to breathe better and feel well.
Next, we will discuss how to clear mucus from the lungs with COPD patients. We’ll focus on techniques specifically for them.
Are you having chest congestion every morning? You should go to Primary Care of Kansas. Dr. Rashid has been an emergency medicine physician for seven years.

Why is COPD Worse in the Morning?

Morning hours are tough for COPD patients. Various factors worsen their symptoms. Thus, they experience more breathing difficulties in the morning.
During sleep, the body clears mucus less effectively. Chest congestion every morning, hampering breath.
Prone positions overnight foster mucus accumulation, resulting in difficult wake-ups and labored breathing.
Cold morning air may irritate airways, causing them to tighten and swell. Also, inactivity at night can stiffen breathing muscles.
This makes it harder to breathe in the morning. For those with COPD, mornings become more complex.

Related: Why is COPD Worse in the Morning?

How Does COPD Cause Mucus?

COPD damages the lungs and airways permanently. This progressive disease hinders breathing, gradually cutting off oxygen.
It causes inflammation and damage. Airways produce too much mucus, blocking breathing. This makes breathing hard. COPD creeps in slowly, a stealthy foe born of prolonged contact with irritants.
Cigarette smoke tops the list of culprits. This term includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, both blocking airways. As the disease worsens, breathing becomes harder.

• Chronic bronchitis: Airways react to irritation by swelling and making mucus. This is meant to clear irritants, but it often traps some instead. The body then coughs to get rid of this buildup, which makes breathing harder. Swollen passages and mucus block airflow and worsen breathing.

Smoking harms the cilia in the airways. Cilia typically sweep out mucus, smoke, and particles. When damaged, cilia can’t move properly. This traps mucus in the lungs.
It allows germs to grow, leading to lung infections. Such infections worsen COPD symptoms.

Techniques to Clear Lungs

1. Controlled Coughing

Controlled coughing can help loosen and expel mucus from the lungs. It involves controlled coughing, not aggressive coughing, to expel phlegm. The latter can strain the airways.

Controlled Coughing Steps:

1. Sit with your feet flat
2. Breathe deeply through your nose. Hold for a few seconds
3. Cough gently from your lower throat, not your chest
4. Repeat as needed. Take breaks to avoid strain

This technique helps move the mucus to the throat. From there, it can be coughed out without damaging the airways.

2. Chest Physiotherapy (CPT)

Chest physiotherapy, or postural drainage, uses physical methods to loosen lung mucus. It involves manipulating the chest and back. A respiratory therapist often helps with it. However, some techniques can be at home.

Techniques:

• Percussion: This involves gently tapping on the chest or back to loosen mucus
• Postural Drainage: This method uses gravity to drain mucus from the lungs. You might be asked to lie in positions that move mucus to larger airways for easier expulsion

These methods are good at clearing mucus from the lower lungs. Coughing alone can help you to reach this area.

3. Hydration

Drinking plenty of fluids can thin the mucus, making it easier to cough up and expel. Water, herbal teas, and broths are great options for staying hydrated.

Tips:

• Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day to help keep mucus thin
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they can dehydrate the body and thicken mucus

4. Use a Humidifier

As winter’s chill sets in, indoor heating parches the air. Lungs suffer, and mucus thickens. Enter the humble humidifier, a silent ally against dryness. It infuses rooms with moisture, thinning secretions and easing their expulsion. This device transforms stale indoor air. It relieves irritated airways in the cold season.

How to Use a Humidifier:

• Put it in your main rooms, like the bedroom
• Keep humidity between 30-50% to stop mold

5. Steam Inhalation

Steam clears airways and soothes irritation. It eases mucus expulsion. Start by boiling water. Pour it into a bowl. Drape a towel over your head.

• Lean over the steaming water
• Take deep breaths for 5-10 minutes
• Inhale through the nose and mouth

This simple remedy offers quick relief. Try it when congestion strikes. Steam inhalation: a natural way to combat respiratory discomfort.

6. Mucolytic Medications

Doctors prescribe mucolytics to ease lung congestion. These medications, available as pills or inhalers, thin mucus. This makes it easier to cough up, clearing the airways. As a result, patients breathe better with less mucus.

Common Mucolytics:

• Guaifenesin, an over-the-counter remedy, thins airway mucus.
• Acetylcysteine, available by prescription, breaks down phlegm for easier expulsion. Both aid breathing.

However, consult your doctor first, especially if you have COPD. These medications offer relief, yet professional guidance remains crucial for safe, effective treatment.

7. Airway Clearance Devices

Vibrating tools and pressure-based devices offer relief for COPD patients. These specialized instruments loosen stubborn mucus, easing its removal from the lungs. By dislodging secretions, they simplify the essential task of clearing airways.

Best mucus removal device:

• Handheld vibrating devices help loosen airway mucus during exhalation
• Oscillating vests shake the chest, creating the same effect

Patients often use these tools in conjunction with chest physiotherapy and breathing exercises. Both methods clear secretions and enhance respiratory health.

8. Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehab programs aim to improve lung function. They use exercises, education, and breathing techniques. These programs are for people with COPD. They often include ways to clear mucus.

Benefits:

• Strengthens respiratory muscles
• Improves overall lung function
• Teaches effective coughing and mucus-clearing techniques

9. Positioning and Movement

Certain positions and gentle activities can help move mucus up the airways. For example, sitting upright or leaning forward can help. It can open the airways and make breathing easier.

Examples of Positioning:

• The Huff Cough Position: Sit on a chair’s edge. Lean slightly forward. Huff (forceful exhale) to move mucus to your throat.
• Lying on Your Side: Lie on your side with your head elevated to help drain mucus from the lower parts of the lungs.

Gentle activities like walking or stretching can help clear mucus. They promote better lung function.

10. Breathing Exercises

Deep breaths expand the lungs, clearing mucus and boosting function. Try diaphragmatic breathing:

• Diaphragmatic Breathing: Use your belly, not your chest
• Pursed-Lip Breathing: Inhale through the nose and exhale through narrowed lips

Both techniques enhance mucus movement and improve breathing capacity.

Treatment for Mucus

COPD has no treatment except for a lung transplant. However, some treatments manage symptoms like extra mucus:

• Bronchodilators: These open airways make it easier to clear mucus. Most are used with an inhaler. Some can be given through a nebulizer.
• Combination medicines: These include a bronchodilator and a steroid. Steroids combat swelling and excess mucus, opening airways.
• Antibiotics: They tackle respiratory infections, easing congestion and coughs.
• Mucolytic medicines: They thin stubborn secretions, aiding expectoration. Your doctor will tailor a treatment strategy to your needs, ensuring optimal respiratory health.

Wrapping Up

How to clear mucus from lungs with COPD?
Manage mucus to breathe better with COPD. Use controlled coughing, stay hydrated, and do breathing exercises.
They will keep your airways clear and prevent problems. These methods support lung health and improve breathing.
For personalized advice, talk to your doctor. Good mucus control is key for COPD patients’ health and lung function.

FAQs

Why do I wake up with phlegm every morning?

Phlegm greets many, especially COPD sufferers, upon waking. Nightly mucus builds up in the airways. Lying down to sleep makes it worse. Dry air, allergens, and irritants add to the problem. COPD inflames airways, increasing mucus and morning discomfort. This nightly buildup and environmental factors create a perfect storm for morning troubles.

Why is COPD worse in the morning?

At dawn, people with COPD often struggle the most. Overnight, mucus clogs their airways, making it hard to breathe. The body works to clear this, but it’s painful. The cold morning air tightens their already narrow passages.

Lying down also complicates breathing. These factors together create serious challenges. So, early hours are particularly hard for those with chronic lung disease.

Does COPD cause nasal congestion?

COPD mainly affects the lungs but can also cause nasal congestion. Excess mucus in the airways can lead to a stuffy nose. Some patients also face sinus issues or allergies, which worsen nasal blockages. Thus, COPD impacts breathing in ways not limited to the chest.