Mucus Plays an Important Role in Lung Health

Mucus plays a vital role in lung health. It contains mucins, which act like a sponge, absorbing water and creating a gel-like substance. This gel traps dust, germs, and toxins, protecting the airways. However, in bronchiectasis, the balance is disrupted.

The excess mucins in bronchiectasis make the mucus thicker and heavier. This overwhelms tiny hairs called cilia lining the airways. Normally, cilia act like miniature brooms, sweeping mucus upwards to be coughed out. But burdened by the dense mucus, they struggle to function effectively. This leads to mucus buildup, creating a breeding ground for infections and further inflammation.

Dr. McShane offers a reassuring message in her recent webinar sponsored by NTM IR.

“Scientists are working on fixing this problem based on drugs that target those receptors and target the mucin. We cannot fix that by our diet, so you’re not doing anything wrong. Keep living your life. And stay tuned because science is moving forward.”

In the meantime, we can do our best to help our ineffective cilia clear out mucus by using various airway clearance devices and modalities.

#AirwayClearance #Mucus #cilia #Bronchiectasis