How do you Cough?

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EnergyGal

New member
What ways do you cough? I know this souds weird but I know, I am always thinking
of strange ways to change things.

what I did when I got really sick with my cf lungs was I used my thigh master to huff and cough. At that time I needed all the help I can get.

I think most people do not put much thought into coughing and after a while they become tired and might not know why they are tired after coughing.

Well now i have a solution for all of you out there in cyber land on how you can improve your cough.

You can always use a pillow but if you are not in bed then what you can do are a few simple things that will tighten your stomach and improve your posture at the same time. I guess you can call it "Core Coughing"

Ok here it goes....

Squeeze your Butt as tight as you can. Hold in your stomach muscles while you are coughing or huffing. Pay attention to your posture and keep your back straight. It will take time to perfect this techniqe but i think in time anyone can do it.

Also you can bend your arms and if you can like flap your arms and have your press against your rib cage that will help. I do not think that would be an easy one.

Also if you are sitting place your hands on the outside of your knees and squeeze your legs together placing your feet flat on the floor holding them to resist your arm squeezes.

If you are tall enough you can place your hands on the top of the inside of a door and stretch your arms while huffing and coughing.

I am trying to stress that you can exercise while coughing and improve your posture and core muscles. Perhaps improve your pfts a little?

When I had a cold this past week, I used all of these plus I put on my vest and did a number of stretches with resistance bands to help aid in my coughing.

Does anyone else have any ideas?
 
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EnergyGal

New member
Just forgot to mention another one. Place one hand on one forarm and your other hand on your other forarm like I dream of Jeanie. when you cough slightly pull on your arms. This helps to brace your posture and helps you to get in a big breath to cough.
 
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princessjdc

New member
Thanks for sharing your techniques, I dont have any special technique when coughing, I just sit up straight and huff or cough. I try not to cough too much because it will put a strain on my vocal cords, and well then Id be hoarse for a week or two. I use to cough until the loose cough went away, but by doing that like I said I got a hoarse voice. I also try and take deep breaths in every so often as I do my vest, then I might go into a huff once in a great while too.
 
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Emily65Roses

New member
I have one... sit on the toilet while you do it, so you don't pee your pants. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">
 
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EnergyGal

New member
I like Emily's technique. I did that too and I am trying lately to huff on the can while I put my hands on my thighs while pressing down on them. You just never know what might come out.
 
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EnergyGal

New member
Not sure if any one of you does this but here goes. Today I was trying to see if I had any congestion left and coincentally I coughed into a thick folded napkin and I noticed that it was much easier to cough. I felt a slight back pressure and it felt like I had a brace supporting my face. Very strange concept but it worked for me. then I tried coughing in a small folded towel. Same thing but a little easier. I felt I was able to get in more air and expel more as well.

I am over my cold but i am still taking antibiotics until tomorrow. Thankfully I did not grow anything in my lungs but thought i did. To me it was my worst cold in five years. So I used my vest and and did many abdominal exercises and coughs and I am better. Strange thing, my Fev1 improved fifteen percent and I believe it is all the core exercises. My back and stomach are so much stronger and I lost two inches off my waist depending upon the day when I measure lol

I am still in the growing fev1 stage of my transplant so that is part of it but I think that coughing is good and I am going to keep on coughing on purpose everyday. A few times I am not crazy just want to keep them clear.
 
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JennifersHope

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Emily65Roses</b></i>

I have one... sit on the toilet while you do it, so you don't pee your pants. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0"></end quote></div>


Emily you crack me up.. without fail..every time.... I was thinking the same thing as you as I read the post... I tried to do what Risa said and I almost peed myself.... Then I scrolled down and read your reply, that is so funny....

Risa thanks for the tips, you should add in their to do it on an empty bladder.


Jennifer
 
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EnergyGal

New member
That is so true Jenn. The past few days I coughed so hard that I had to change pants three times. Now I am smarter than that, I wear a sanitary napkin. Sometimes I also try and hold the pee in as part of the exercise lol. Like a kegel exercise. I have to admit I have added more core exercises to this routine and I feel so good when I awake. I feel strong and full of energy.


I wanted to buy a Bosu ball. It is like a balance ball cut in half with a secure bottom. You can do lots of core exercises on it. So instead of spending one hundred dollars, I decided to create my own version. I took three firm pillows and stacked them up and I do back and stomach exercises on them. you can place them on a bed and do them there or in my case, I placed them on my mini trampoline and added two bungi type exercise cords and I do the swimming type of movements and the star fish. I also do a modified crunch. There are some yoga stretches that i do on it too. This is so much easier on my back then my sit up bench. Then when I am sitting in my chair against a solid table, I place my hand and arms on the table while squeezing my butt and holding in my stomach and lift my legs together and hold them up as long as I can. This works different areas of the stomach and my thighs. Since I am prone to reflux all the exercises that I do do not effect me because I am not doing full crunches.
 
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