Which therapy is used to help clear airway secretions in CF?

• A. Oxygen therapy
• B. Immunizations
• C. Chest Physiotherapy
• D. Systemic steroids only

Answer: (C)

Clearing airway secretions in CF relies on techniques that physically mobilize mucus so it can be coughed up or drained from the lungs. In cystic fibrosis the mucus is thick and sticky, plugging airways and promoting infection, so regularly removing it is essential for better ventilation and fewer infections.

Chest physiotherapy does this by manually loosening mucus through percussion or clapping on the chest and back, often combined with postural drainage to use gravity to move secretions toward larger airways. Different positions help drain different lung regions, and this is usually paired with coughing or huffing to clear the airways. This direct mucus-clearing action is why chest physiotherapy is the best answer here.

Oxygen therapy addresses low blood oxygen but doesn’t clear secretions. Immunizations help prevent infections but don’t physically remove mucus. Systemic steroids reduce inflammation but also don’t directly clear airway secretions.