Pulmonary: Airway Clearance Huff Cough
These instructions for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) patients describe how to perform the huff cough technique to clear mucus from the lungs.
Important information:
Huff coughing is an effective technique that helps clear mucus by moving it from the smaller to the larger airways in the lungs.
Patient instructions:
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Sit upright with your back and neck straight, your chin slightly upward, and your mouth open. Take 2-3 normal breaths. (Figure 1)
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Take a slow, deep breath to fill your lungs. Pause for 3 seconds. Shape your mouth like an "O" and force the air out in a huff – like you're fogging a mirror.
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Repeat this 2 times. This will move the mucus from the smaller to larger airways. (Figure 2)
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Take a good breath in then do a strong cough. (Figure 3)
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Repeat these steps until you have cleared your lungs of as much mucus as possible.
Tips for huff coughs:
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Cup your hands together. Take a deep breath in and with an "O" shaped mouth, "warm your hands" with force behind the exhale.
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Hold a tissue in front of your mouth. While holding your mouth in an "O" shape, force your air out and try to make the tissue move.
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Huff out fast but not fast enough to make you cough or wheeze. This keeps your airways open.
Reviewed on January 17, 2023, by Jacqueline Vicencio, PT, DPT