: Use of gravity in clearance

[Guest guest]

,Tipping the upper body on a pile of pillows on a bed hardly constitutes contortion!!. Gravity is a simple FREE asset in helping us clear our scarred lungs and avoiding the vicious circles of antibiotics, steroids and hospitilazation It's really one of the best pieces of simple advice I've been given in 30 years of managing bronchiectasis. I'm very willing to share it to help others as its helped me. BestTo: bronchiectasis Sent: Sat, April 3, 2010 8:15:49 PMSubject: Re: Kay - bed wedge

Note to self: having bronchiectasis means being a contortionist. Express this to Doc.

From: Davies <draigferchyahoo (DOT) com>Subject: Re: Kay - bed wedgeTo: bronchiectasis@ yahoogroups. comDate: Saturday, April 3, 2010, 5:42 PM

Hi Norma

You might want to try this , I find it works well. Put about 6 pillows halfway down the bed . Fasten them with a bungee cord if you like , Position yourself above the pillow and let your head fall back so your upper torso is on an incline , and your hips are pushed up in the air by the pillows. I lie like that for a few minutes to let gravity do the work then I do upper chest percussing , to clear the way for possible deep floodgates later ! .

I then turn and do both sides for about 15 mins each side on the Acapella , with top arm stretched over my head like a ballerina.

Finish off sitting upright on the bed with glottis breathing.

Sometimes I just lay on the couch sideways and let the top half of my body just hang to the floor , support hanging arm with a pillow, and do the Acapella with the other, This has the added advantage of the sofa front supporting my back ..... and I can watch TV at the same time ( ha ha )

Hope this helps.

Keep draining !

All the best

From: Norma Henry <3norma-henry@ sbcglobal. net>To: bronchiectasis@ yahoogroups. comSent: Sat, April 3, 2010 5:11:59 PMSubject: Kay - bed wedge

Kay,

I tried using your procedure for postural drainage using the bed wedge that I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond to elevate my head, but I must have done something wrong as it did not seem to work well for me. Even though I have the vest, I also do postural drainage in the afternoon to clear my lungs completely. I would like to have a wedge made to my own body size, but we do not have any furniture manufacturers in Austin. I could not find any in the telephone books. Memory foam is very expensive, and it would have to be designed to fit my body size. I am very thin (92 lbs. and about

5' 41/2").

Norma