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Treatment Guidance Please...Bronchiectasis/Asthma/Reflux
MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Aug 13 7:29pm | Replies (34)Comment receiving replies
I also have mucus and I need to clear my throat all day long. It is worse after I eat.
I have been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and have read that a hiatal hernia can cause overproduction of mucus and the need to clear the throat. If I understood correctly and am explaining it correctly, with the hiatal hernia the mucus is the body's way to compensate for the acid problem, counteract the acid.
So for me I have to some what assume, hate having to assume, that much of what I have to clear out of my throat is due to the mucus associated with the hiatal hernia. If I am not mistaken Tums is used to control acid. I am not taking any med's for the hiatal hernia/acid. My choice. From all I have heard and read it is a choice of allowing meds to possibly cause other problems or staying away from med's and hope for the best. Strange thing though, I can sleep until I awake due to my bladder telling me to eliminate. I do have to clear my throat some and then go back to sleep.
Not sure if you have posted that you either have Acid Reflux or a Hiatal Hernia??
Replies to "I also have mucus and I need to clear my throat all day long. It is..."
@blm1007blm1007 It might be worth asking your doctor why over production of mucous is associated with a hiatal hernia. It may be a physical problem. This is a hernia that pushes though the diaphragm into the chest cavity. If it is serious enough, it can compromise the space for the lungs or the lungs ability to move properly. If you don't move the lungs enough, mucous can collect in them instead of being expelled. Mucous is the body's way to clear debris out of the lungs to wash it out which works until that gets blocked. This is why hospitals always want to get patients up and walking after surgery because of the anesthesia and pain medication that can affect breathing and cause mucous to pool in the lungs. Excess mucous stuck in the lungs makes a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses and can lead to pneumonia.
If you are having acid reflux (that can be associated with a hiatal hernia), acids can irritate the wind pipe, and that irritation can cause asthma or phlegm issues. If you have asthma, that also restricts breathing and adds resistance to getting rid of phlegm.
I do have asthma. Allergies make the mucous more sticky. What helps me is to thin the mucous with over the counter Guaifenesin which is the generic for Mucinex. Then, I clear it more easily and breathe much better, and I also have inhalers. With acid reflux, it helps to stop eating a few hours before bed, so the stomach can be empty with less acid, and some patients also sleep on a wedge pillow or set the bed so the head end is higher to keep the stomach more upright.
What do you think about asking your doctor if there is a physical therapist or lung specialist that can specialize in breathing issues? My elderly mom has an advanced hiatal hernia and it does compromise her lung function. She has had partially collapsed lungs at the bottom, and is now on oxygen from having had pneumonia. She wouldn't be a surgical candidate because of her advanced age.
Have you looked into having possible allergies? Taking anti histamines can help dry up mucus secretions that are being caused by allergies.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiatal-hernia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373379
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https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tuesday-q-a-gerd-a-more-severe-form-of-acid-reflux/
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I have both hiatus hernia and reflux and am also not taking meds for the reflux. It seems surgery needs to be as a last resort...as there are more complications created often with the fundoplication surgery. However, I am doing a barium swallow test next week despite already being diagnosed with reflux/gastritis...not sure what additional information that may provide.
It is a dilemma, isn't it. I wish you success in finding a solution. I am resigned to continuing to nebb with hypertonic saline indefinitely. Perhaps some of the more recent research trials will help us with a way to stem the mucus build up.