Tips to Clear Your Lungs After COVID

Written by Leslie K. Hughes

Medically reviewed by Dr. Ariella Morrow

You’re no longer testing positive. You can officially be a part of society again. You’ve got antibodies to last you for a while, and things are looking pretty good. Except for the fact that you’re still finding yourself coughing. 

Many people find that following COVID, they still have issues with their lungs. They can range from, as mentioned above, coughing, to shortness of breath, to dryness in the lungs, and more. 

Since none of these are things anyone wants to experience, especially after enduring COVID, we are here to provide you with some tips that will help you get your lungs cleared out following your infection. 

Why am I still coughing after COVID?

COVID is an infection that “enters the respiratory tract and takes over the cells lining your respiratory tract, turning them into virus-producing machines that in turn, coat your entire respiratory tract with viral particles. The reason we get sick is because there’s a war going on between the virus and your lungs.” Your lungs struggle to do what they’re meant to do, which is bring in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide. 

Studies have found that “multiple symptoms are present about 3 months after symptoms onset.” This means it is common for people to find that they are still struggling with a cough for weeks or months after their COVID infection. 

Since this is happening to many people post-COVID, it is not something to lose sleep over. The main reason that you may still be dealing with phlegm issues after your COVID recovery is because, according to research, there is excess mucus that builds up in the lungs during a COVID infection. And, typically, when you have a virus such as COVID, your body works to produce that extra mucus in order to help get rid of the virus. Coughing is essentially your body’s way of trying to get rid of this mucus buildup. 

That mucus can cause lung damage that lasts a bit of time, which is why you may still be coughing though you’ve otherwise recovered from the virus. 

How do I clear my lungs post-COVID?

There are a few different ways to approach lung issues you may be experiencing after your COVID-19 infection. 

Breathing Exercises

According to a Johns Hopkins physical therapist, “deep breathing can restore diaphragm function and increase lung capacity.” Here are the different breathing exercises that may help solve your lung problems. 

Deep Breathing (Laying Down)

This exercise helps to expand your lungs and get rid of stuck mucus. 

1. Lay on your back and bend your knees so that your feet are on the bed or floor

2. Put your hands on top of your stomach

3. Close your lips (you will only be breathing through your nose) and put your tongue on the roof of your mouth

4. Breathe in through your nose, pulling air from down in your diaphragm and up through your chest, almost like a wave

5. Slowly exhale through your nose

6. Repeat that cycle for at least one minute

Deep Breathing (On Your Stomach)

When you’ve mastered doing the deep breathing on your back, then you can level up to doing it on your stomach. 

1. Lay on your stomach, putting your head on your hands

2. Close your lips (you will only be breathing through your nose) and put your tongue on the roof of your mouth

3. Breathe in through your nose, pulling air from down in your diaphragm and up through your chest, almost like a wave

4. Slowly exhale through your nose

5. Repeat that cycle for at least one minute

Deep Breathing (Sitting)

Repeat the above exercise but while sitting in a chair.

Deep Breathing (Standing)

Repeat the same exercise but while standing. 

Positioning Exercises

According to Our Health Service, exercises that involve laying in specific positions can help clear phlegm from your lungs. 

Back Laying. 

1. Lay on your back with your heat flat and your knees bent

2. Put a pillow under your hips and another under your knees, making your hips higher than your chest

3. Stay in this place for at least five minutes and try doing deep breaths if you can 

Side Laying.

1. Lay on one of your sides with your head flat

2. Put a pillow under your hip to make your hip higher than your chest

3. Stay in this place for at least five minutes and try doing deep breaths if you can

OTC Medicine

Another way to clear the mucus in your lungs is by taking an over-the-counter medicine such as Mucinex or another type of expectorant. Though these do not have the power to make your coughs less frequent, they can help clear your congestion. 

Water

Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to combat excess mucus in your lungs. “When a person is sick with a cold, drinking extra fluids can thin the mucus and help the sinuses to drain.” 

Though you may be suffering from the effects of COVID long after you’ve officially recovered, there are some ways that you can combat the buildup of mucus in your lungs. We’ve found that the best things to do are try over-the-counter expectorant medications, incorporate breathing exercises into your daily life, do positioning exercises every day, and stay hydrated. 

If you are concerned about your lungs following your COVID-19 infection, schedule a virtual visit with a Sameday Health doctor today to get your lungs back in shape.