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Lung and Respiratory Diseases

Lung w/ thick mucus build up

04/18/2008 10:07AM

Question:

Thank you for the feedback ck imformation on the lung w/ thick mucus build up. I would however, like to know if there is anything that I COULD DO TO DEAL W/ the cause of this condition,fOR instance, is there something that you could recomend that I could do when the mucus is so thick that I sometime find it almost impossible to control my breathing.Has there been reports where paients have found some kind of treatment that has helped them get some relief during an attack. ANY INFO AT THIS POINT WOULD MOST APPRECIATED.

Answer:

Mucous build up in the lungs can be the result of many different problems (allergies, asthma, chronic bronchitis, sinus infections, or emphysema to name a few) and the treatment really depends on the underlying cause. Sometimes patients may find over-the-counter remedies containing guaifenisen (Mucinex, Robitussin) helpful and others may benefit from the use of humidifiers. However, the most useful treatment is to try to prevent the build up of mucous by treating the primary cause. If you have not already done so, you should seek evaluation by your primary care physician to determine the cause of your problem and the most appropriate treatment.

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Response by:

The Ohio State University Jennifer McCallister, MD
Assistant Professor
OSU Asthma Center
Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University
Jennifer McCallister, MD