OPA Breathing Exercises for Clearing Secretions

Breathing Exercises for Clearing Secretions 

A breathing cycle may be taught to you by your physiotherapist to help cough up unwanted mucus.

The cycle has 5 components:

1. Breathing control

  • relaxed, gentle breathing

2. Thoracic expansion

Exercises x 4

  • perform in side lying-operated lung upwards (unless otherwise instructed), or sitting upright

3. Huffing x 2

  • breath out sharply and forcefully as if steaming up a mirror

4. Cough

  • when secretions are felt at the back of the throat, cough them up

© The Oesophageal Patients Association