Airway clearance successful techniques

@susanocl I notice that miss one neb session and it makes a huge difference.
Are you able to do postural drainage positions and some percussion. I am pleased with what I am able to get up after nebulizing. Well, please but very much astonished with what results in the solo cup that I clear into. With allowing the cup that I used to sit for 12 or more hours one can clearly see all that one is bringing up. I think the mucus that shows is a bit more than a teaspoon full but hard to tell. i just thought.....I wonder if there is a way of emptying it all and straining as you empty to clear out the other liquid/moisture/water to catch the mucus??????????? to measure it.???????? All we do and think about!!!!!!!!!
Barbara

I have started to have excessive burping during airway clearance and at other times during the day. It doesn’t feel like reflux and a recent endoscopy showed no signs of GERD. I’m thinking I’m swallowing a lot of air with the forced air breathing and huff coughing. I started a reflux med that has not helped with the burping. This is a new problem after years of postural and exercise AC. I have recently started doing the held breath followed by pursed lips exhale. Any ideas?

I wonder if you nebulize with 7% sodium chloride and do 20 min aerobika/ vest and cough a little mucus( I never coughed up more than very little) is it still beneficial to do postural drainage (5 different positions where my lung changes are the worst)which take another 25 minutes of AC and being totally dried up and coughing up nothing? When I finish all what I do I am exhausted and question the additional postural drainage when coughing up only during nebulizing and vest session. What do you think?

@lilianna I found postural drainage never helped me much so *with doc approval* I stopped that. My normal routine now is using the smartvest and nebulizing 7% saline at the same time. I do huff coughing on the preset smartvest breaks and more after as needed. Generally this takes 30-40 minutes. Again, my docs approved -- saying the best routine is what works for you. And this will vary from person to person because our BE may be more or less severe, located in different parts of the lungs etc. And other conditions may impact what works best as well. I suspect one reason postural drainage may not have been effective for me is that with gerd, my respiratory therapist advised against postures with the head lower than the rest of the body.

Thank you.

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@rosalynclifton I wonder, when you are "forced air breathing", you are accidentally swallowing air?
I was taught, and continue to practice, "in through the nose...hold...ought through the mouth (pursed lips) and I do fine. But sometimes my allergies/nasal congestion have other ideas - if I try to inhale through my mouth, I get the same burping issue.
What do I do? Use my anti-allergy nasal sprays before airway clearance. If that is not enough, I will add a Benadryl to open my nose.

@sueinmn Thanks for the reply. I do different breath and huff coughs with my different exercises. I do usually breath in through the mouth and huff or forced air exhale. I keep trying different things till something works and usually with success. The burping is getting worse and continues through the day. Might have nothing to do with AC…just getting old.

@rosalynclifton I believe that COPD patients are told to sip liquids through a straw so not to pull in air into the lungs. This is so they are not swallowing air....as mentioned by Sue. Swallowing air does cause belching.
Have you researched symptoms of swallowing air???
Barbara

@rosalynclifton What about using an Aerobika? It helps to control inhales and exhales and might limit the burping. Keep things slow and steady.