Airway clearance is another cornerstone of BE treatment and management. It helps clear the trapped mucus that leads to a cycle of infection,
inflammation, damage, and further mucus retention. Most people with BE benefit from daily airway clearance to achieve disease stability and prevent progression. The key to successful airway clearance is finding what works best for you. Many people find that combining multiple techniques works better than relying on one single method.

There are several techniques for clearing mucus, including:
• Positive Expiratory Pressure Devices (PEP) – This is a handheld tool that causes resistance and vibration when you exhale into it, which causes the mucus to loosen so it is easier to cough out.
• Nebulized saline treatments – This type of nebulizer treatment is frequently used to stimulate mucus production. It is often used successfully in conjunction with other airway clearance devices such as a positive expiratory pressure (PEP) device.
• High-frequency chest wall oscillation vests – This is a wearable device that helps “shake” the chest to loosen thick mucus, making it easier to cough up.
• Postural drainage – This method involves positioning your body in specific ways to use gravity to help drain mucus from parts of the lungs. Respiratory therapists can help identify which positions may work best for specific lung regions.
• Deep breathing exercises and huff coughing – These techniques work together to loosen mucus from smaller airways to larger airways, and
then help cough it out using controlled, forceful breathing.
• Regular physical activity – Aerobic activity, including walking, biking, yoga, or swimming, can promote deeper breathing and help mucus movement.