What is a mucus plug and how do I avoid it?

Sometimes though, this mucus can get more difficult to cough out.  This can happen when you get dehydrated, or when you get sick. If you have an infection you might find that instead of white or clear mucus being coughed up, it is yellow, green, or orange. This is a sign you are at risk of a mucus plug forming. When infected with bacteria, it can become quite thick, sticky, and hard, and is particularly challenging to cough.

 

When it becomes big enough, there is a risk of this blocking (plugging) your narrow airway. This is quite terrifying when it happens, and usually your survival instinct kicks in and you can manage to somehow cough it out.

 

Should a mucus plug affect you, you will not be able to speak and tell others what is happening, so it is best to forewarn those around you that this is a risk.

 

What if I cannot shift the plug?

If you cannot shift the plug, you will not be able to breathe or speak and will fall unconscious. If you have somehow managed to alert someone that you are struggling, they must immediately call for emergency medical assistance. Speed is of the essence here, and again it is important people around you are prepared with what to tell medical professionals when they call.

 

• You are not breathing and are now unconscious.

• Your airway is blocked.

 

​​At this stage, the name of your disease is not the most important thing, getting air is primary.  Make sure they know what number to dial (e.g. 911/000/999 depending on the country they are in) – it is amazing how many people have a mental block to what the correct emergency services number is when they need to call it.

 

An option those around you can try is the abdominal thrust (also known as the ‘Heimlich manoeuvre’). This is a first aid technique used to move foreign bodies caught in your airway in an emergency. This may dislodge the plug and can be tried while waiting for emergency services.