Huff Coughing and Forced Expiratory Technique

A Huff Cough is a gentle cough, done with an open glottis all through exhalation.  To keep your glottis open, keep your mouth open as you exhale.  It may help to place a tube, (like inside a toilet paper roll), between your lips and teeth, while you are learning.  This is also called, Forced Expiratory Technique, (FET).

1.   Sit in a comfortable position.  See coughing tips in last post.

2.   Do a few nice slow deep breaths using diaphragmatic breathing.  

3.   Inhale slowly and hold your breath for two to three seconds.

4.   Exhale like you are “fogging” a mirror or your glasses.                    

5.   This will make a “huffing” sound, until most air is out.

6.   Control the speed of exhalation, not too fast.

7.   Avoid an actual, or premature cough.

8.   Use your abdominal muscles to help you exhale fully.

9.   Start with lower volumes and build up to a large breath.

  10.  Do several, (2-3) huff coughs and then rest.  

  11.  After several minutes, repeat if needed.

 This technique should be gentle and controlled and can be very effective.  It helps you avoid paroxysmal, unproductive coughing.

 If you experience any discomfort, stop, and talk with your Doctor at your next visit. 

Cough, techniques to do it gently and effectively

Coughing is the body's way of removing foreign material or mucus from your lungs and airways, or of reacting to airway irritation.  It is important to cough effectively to avoid getting more short of breath or exhausted from your efforts.  We will explain how to cough more gently, with good results.

Productive coughing, brings up phlegm or mucus (sputum).   The mucus may have drained down the back of your throat from the nose or sinuses, or may come up from your lungs.  Try not to hold or suppress a productive cough as it clears mucus from the lungs.   

It is important to stay well hydrated by drinking several glasses of water daily, (unless you are told to restrict fluids by your doctor), so your secretions are thinner and easier to cough out.  It may help to do a controlled coughing session after your inhaled medications.  You want to be sitting in a comfortable position, not lying down.  You can place your hands on your knees, or a table to help stabilize your muscles.  Purposely use your stomach muscles to make your cough efforts stronger.

Huff Cough and Forced Expiratory Technique,(FET)  which are gentle ways to cough, and easy to learn, will be posted soon.   

Coming Soon...

Keeping your airways clear to keep you healthy... from effective coughing to equipment that can help.

Yoga Breathing

Yoga breathing called the “full yoga breath” contributes to both vitality and relaxation.  There are many documented benefits.  It calms your mind and integrates mental and physical balance.  It relaxes the muscles, reduces anxiety, improves detoxification and boosts the immune system.  Most importantly, to people with asthma or emphysema , it can help overcome the fear of increased lung capacity.

Technique:

1. Pick a comfortable, quiet place and lie down on your back, or in a reclining chair, relaxed, with hands and legs extended.  Gently close your eyes.  The whole process should be relaxed and done without strain.

2.  Abdominal breathing (much like diaphragmtic breathing): Observe your natural breath.  As you inhale your abdomen rises and then falls with exhalation.  Watch this for a few breaths.  Now begin to deepen and lengthen  that movement.  While inhaling, let the abdomen rise to its limit and at exhalation let it fall completely. Keep the chest still during this entire process.  Exhalation will usually be longer than inhalation. Continue this for 20 breaths and then rest.

3. Thoracic (chest) breathing: Again, observe your normal breath, this time focusing your attention on the chest. You will notice the chest moving slightly up at inhalation and down with exhalation. Again watch this pattern for a few breaths.  Again, begin to deepen and lengthen that movement. Now, on inhalation expand and lift the rib cage, filling the lungs completely. Then on exhalation, let the lungs empty fully.   This time, keep the abdomen still, moving only the chest. Do this for 20 breaths cycles and then rest.

4.  Full Yogic breathing: This combines both abdominal and chest breathing. 
First inhale by filling the abdomen and then CONTINUE inhaling as you expand and fill the chest. Then exhale first from the chest as it empties and falls and then CONTINUE exhaling from the abdomen as it draws inwards completely. This is one round of the full yogic breath. Repeat this for 20 rounds.  Inhaling - abdomen then chest; Exhaling – chest then abdomen.

Important:  Do all this breathing WITHOUT strain. Make it smooth and effortless. Go slow and easy.  At first it may seem like 4 steps but with time it will feel like a continuous wave.  Picture this breath as if it moves up from your navel to your throat with inhalation and then, down from throat to navel on exhalation. It will take some practice to perfect a “SMOOTH flowing pattern with MINIMUM effort and with MAXIMUM capacity.”

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic Breathing:

Your diaphragm is the most important muscle for breathing and does most of the work.  This large, dome-shaped muscle is at the bottom of your lungs.  Abdominal muscles help move the diaphragm.  They can give you more power to better empty your lungs. Sometimes in COPD or other lung disease where air becomes trapped, your diaphram can become flattened and less efficient. Diaphragmatic breathing will help you strengthen it to decrease your work of breathing.

1. Lie on your back in a comfortable position, or in a recliner if you can’t lie flat.  You can use a pillow under your knees or head.  Place one hand flat on your upper chest and the other just above your navel.  You will be able to feel your diaphragm or chest move as you breathe.

2. Breathe in slowly through your nose and feel your stomach move out against your hand.  Keep your chest as still as possible.

3. Tighten your stomach muscles, pulling inward as you exhale. The hand on your chest should remain still.

At first it may take some effort to use the diaphragm correctly.  Start with 5 minutes several times a day.  Increase your time as tolerated to 12-15 minutes.  Soon, with practice, diaphragmatic breathing will become easy, automatic, and you can use it in any position.


See the following link for demonstration:

Pursed-Lip Breathing

Pursed Lip Breathing:

Pursed-lip breathing helps to free trapped air from your lungs and allow fresh air in.  It keeps airways open longer during exhalation.  Practice pursed-lip breathing when you are relaxed so you can use this technique when feeling short of breath.

1. Inhale through your nose at a normal rate and depth. Feel the air fill your lungs.

2. Purse your lips together like you were going to whistle or blow bubbles.

3. Exhale slowly and gently through your mouth, keeping your lips pursed. Breathing out should take 2 to 3 times longer than breathing in.  Exhale fully at a steady rate, but don’t force the air out.

Breathe at the rate and the amount you purse your lips, to what feels comfortable. 

During exercise or activities that cause you to be short of breath, pursed-lip breathing can help you be less “winded” and recover more quickly.  You soon will find yourself doing this automatically, for example when climbing stairs. 

Breathing Techniques

Breathing techniques that can bring relief:

1.        Pursed-Lip Breathing

2.        Diaphragmatic Breathing

3.        Yoga Breathing

        Watch for details in the next three posts...

Welcome!

Breathing is not a privilege; it is your right, and necessary for life. For most people, breathing is transparent.  You’re not  aware of it unless you are active, frightened, anxious, ill, or otherwise taxing your cardiopulmonary system, (heart and lungs).  However, some of you are very aware of breathing, even minute by minute.  Your breathing can be uncomfortable and shortness of breath is often frightening. When lung disease or conditions worsen, you can become increasingly short of breath.  Science and medicine have many solutions for people who experience discomfort or difficulty breathing. This blog will provide information and instruction on how to allow your breathing to be more transparent, in a wide variety of circumstances.