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Postural drainage
Chest physical therapy; CPT; COPD - postural drainage; Cystic fibrosis - postural drainage; Bronchopulmonary dysplasia - postural drainage
What to Expect at Home
Postural drainage is one way to help treat breathing problems due to swelling and too much mucus in the airways of the lungs. With postural drainage, you get into a position that helps drain fluid out of the lungs. It may help:
- Treat or prevent an infection
- Make breathing easier
- Prevent more problems with the lungs
A respiratory therapist, nurse, or doctor will show you the best position for postural drainage.
How to Do Postural Drainage
The best time to do postural drainage is either before a meal or an hour and a half hours after a meal, when your stomach is emptiest.
Use one of the following positions:
- Sitting
- Lying on your back, stomach, or side
- Sitting or lying with your head flat, up, or down
Stay in the position for as long as your health care provider instructed (at least 5 minutes). Wear comfortable clothes and use pillows to get as comfortable as possible. Repeat the position as often as instructed.
Breathe in slowly through your nose, and then out through your mouth. Breathing out should take about twice as long as breathing in.
Percussion or Vibration
Your doctor may also recommend doing percussion or vibration.
Percussion helps break up thick fluids in the lungs. Either you or someone else claps a hand on your ribs while you are lying down. You can do this with or without clothing on your chest:
- Form a cup shape with your hand and wrist.
- Clap your hand and wrist against your chest (or have someone clap your back, if your doctor tells you to).
- You should hear a hollow or popping sound, not a slapping sound.
- DO NOT clap so hard that it hurts.
Vibration is like percussion, but with a flat hand that gently shakes your ribs.
- Take a deep breath, then blow out hard.
- With a flat hand, gently shake your ribs.
Your provider will show you how to do this the right way.
Do percussion or vibration for 5 to 7 minutes in each area of the chest. Do this on all of the areas of your chest or back that your doctor tells you to. When you finish, take a deep breath and cough. This helps bring up any phlegm, which you can then spit out.
When to Call the Doctor
Call your doctor if you have:
- Indigestion
- Vomiting
- Pain
- Severe discomfort
- Difficulty breathing
References
Celli BR, ZuWallack RL. Pulmonary rehabilitation. In: Mason RJ, Murray JF, Broaddus VC, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine . 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 105.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Basics of Postural Drainage and Percussion. www.cff.org/PDF-Archive/Introduction-to-Postural-Drainage-and-Pecussion . Accessed July 8, 2016.
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Percussion - illustration
Percussion can be performed to help break up thick fluids in your lungs: Form a cup shape with your hand and wrist.Clap your hand and wrist against your chest (or have someone clap your back, if your doctor tells you to).You should hear a hollow or popping sound, NOT a slapping sound.Do not clap so hard that it hurts. Form a cup shape with your hand and wrist. Clap your hand and wrist against your chest (or have someone clap your back, if your doctor tells you to). You should hear a hollow or popping sound, NOT a slapping sound. Do not clap so hard that it hurts. Do percussion for 5 to 7 minutes in each area of the chest. Do this on all of the areas of your chest or back that your doctor tells you to. When you finish, take a deep breath and cough.
Percussion
illustration
-
Percussion - illustration
Percussion can be performed to help break up thick fluids in your lungs: Form a cup shape with your hand and wrist.Clap your hand and wrist against your chest (or have someone clap your back, if your doctor tells you to).You should hear a hollow or popping sound, NOT a slapping sound.Do not clap so hard that it hurts. Form a cup shape with your hand and wrist. Clap your hand and wrist against your chest (or have someone clap your back, if your doctor tells you to). You should hear a hollow or popping sound, NOT a slapping sound. Do not clap so hard that it hurts. Do percussion for 5 to 7 minutes in each area of the chest. Do this on all of the areas of your chest or back that your doctor tells you to. When you finish, take a deep breath and cough.
Percussion
illustration
Review Date: 5/18/2016
Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
