Autogenic Drainage Technique
A gentle, controlled breathing technique that uses varying lung volumes to loosen, mobilize, and clear secretions from the airways. It relies on adjusting expiratory airflow to shear mucus from bronchial walls without causing airway collapse.
- 1Sit upright in a comfortable position, relax your shoulders, and breathe in slowly through your nose.
- 2Phase 1 (Unsticking): Exhale as much air as possible, then take a small breath in. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then exhale slowly through an open mouth. Repeat 3-4 times to loosen mucus in the small, peripheral airways.
- 3Phase 2 (Collecting): Take a slightly deeper, medium-sized breath. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then exhale at mid-lung volume. Repeat 3-4 times to move mucus into the middle airways.
- 4Phase 3 (Evacuating): Take a deep breath in. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then exhale at high lung volume. Repeat 3-4 times to move mucus into the central airways.
- 5Perform a gentle 'huff' (exhaling forcefully with an open glottis, like fogging a mirror) to expel the gathered mucus. Avoid harsh coughing.
Autogenic Drainage utilizes the principle of equal pressure points and expiratory airflow velocity to shear mucus from the airway walls. By breathing at three distinct lung volumes—unsticking (low volume), collecting (mid volume), and evacuating (high volume)—the patient maximizes expiratory airflow at different generations of the bronchial tree. A brief inspiratory pause allows for collateral ventilation, getting air behind the mucus, while controlled exhalation prevents the dynamic airway collapse often seen with forceful coughing, resulting in highly effective and less fatiguing clearance.
Treats Symptoms
Target Metrics
Acute hemoptysis (coughing up blood), untreated pneumothorax, severe reactive airway disease, or inability to follow complex multi-step instructions.
Verified Sources
Keep TryBreathing Free.
We are building the open-source Wikipedia of the human nervous system. No paywalls, no ads, no subscriptions. If this protocol helped you today, consider supporting the servers.
Support the MissionRecommended Reading & Tools
Deepen your understanding of respiratory physiology. These verified texts and tools form the foundational science behind many of the protocols in our directory.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
By James Nestor
The Oxygen Advantage
By Patrick McKeown
The Breathing Cure
By Patrick McKeown
The Breather
Clinical Inspiratory Muscle Trainer (IMT)
TryBreathing is a free, community-supported resource. We may earn a small commission if you purchase through these verified clinical links, which directly funds our server costs.