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Airway clearance therapy is treatment that uses a number of airway clearance techniques to clear the respiratory airways of mucus and other secretions. [1] Several respiratory diseases cause the normal mucociliary clearance mechanism to become impaired resulting in a build-up of mucus which obstructs breathing, and also affects the cough reflex.
Chest congestion is usually caused by excess mucus in the airways, says Meilan King Han, M.D., M.S., professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the ...
Pulmonary edema (British English: oedema), also known as pulmonary congestion, is excessive fluid accumulation in the tissue or air spaces (usually alveoli) of the lungs. [1] This leads to impaired gas exchange , most often leading to shortness of breath ( dyspnea ) which can progress to hypoxemia and respiratory failure .
Patients may watch for symptoms, such as shortness of breath, change in character or amount of mucus, and start self-treatment as discussed with a health care provider. This allows for treatment right away until a doctor can be seen. [5] The symptoms of acute exacerbations are treated using short-acting bronchodilators.
These respiratory conditions all have a common requirement of chest physiotherapy to assist the mucus clearance due to defects with mucociliary clearance. Techniques include chest percussion using clapping : the therapist lightly claps the patient's chest , back , and area under the arms.
Acute bronchitis, also known as a chest cold, is short-term bronchitis – inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) of the lungs. [2] [1] The most common symptom is a cough. [1] Other symptoms include coughing up mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, fever, and chest discomfort. [2] The infection may last from a few to ten ...
Along with congestion, doctors said, some patients experience a headache, fatigue, muscle aches, fever, chills or post-nasal drip that may lead to a cough — though coughing isn't a primary symptom.
Phlegm naturally drains down into the back of the throat and can be swallowed without imposing health risks. [14] Once in the stomach, the acids and digestive system will remove the phlegm and get rid of the germs in it. [1] In some cultures, swallowing phlegm is considered a social taboo, being described as disgusting or unhygienic. [15]