Chest physiotherapy for asthma or
Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy comprises various techniques. The physiotherapist will decide the exercises and techniques that can help you the most after understanding your condition and goals. Some of the techniques within chest physiotherapy are as follows:
1. Bronchial Drainage
This is a technique in chest physiotherapy that uses gravity to support postural drainage. There are 12 different types of positions that the physiotherapist can use depending on the patient’s needs and condition.
2. Percussion
In chest physiotherapy, this technique is used to remove secretions from the tracheobronchial tree. When this technique is executed effectively, one can hear a distinct popping sound. Some other techniques that are used for removing secretions include vibrations, huffing, and shaking techniques. Techniques such as postural drainage, suctioning and coughing techniques are used to remove mobilized secretions. Active cycles of breathing and autogenic drainage are also methods that the physiotherapist might use to remove secretions.
3. Vibration
Also referred to as the shaking technique, vibration in chest physiotherapy for asthma can help with loosening up the mucus and the secretions in the airways. Once vibration does its job effectively, through coughing or suction, the secretions can be removed from the body.
4. Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP)
Positive Expiratory Pressure is used in chest physiotherapy to help keep the airways open. It’s an airway-cleaning technique that uses a mechanical device that gets placed against the mouth.
5. Flutter
This technique in chest physiotherapy makes use of a manual device to loosen up the secretion in the airways. Using a combination of positive pressure and airway oscillations, this technique breaks away stubborn mucus that is present in the walls of the airway.
6. Breathing exercise
Two types of breathing exercises called the Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and the pursing lip breathing technique are widely used by physiotherapists as a part of chest physiotherapy for asthma. These exercises prevent breathing abnormalities by increasing air redistribution to the lungs, maximising oxygenation, and relieving dyspnea.