Discharge Instructions for Bronchiectasis

You have been diagnosed with bronchiectasis. This means your bronchial tubes (the tubes that carry air in your lungs) have become wider than normal. When this happens, they can become blocked with mucus and infection can occur. You are most likely to get bronchiectasis if you have cystic fibrosis or another lung disease. But it can also be caused by smoking, breathing in foreign objects such as food, or having lung infections that keep coming back. Here’s what you can do to feel better.

How to say it

brong-kee-EHK-tuh-suhs

Break the smoking habit

Enroll in a stop-smoking program to increase your chances of success.
Ask your doctor about medicines or other ways to help you quit.
Ask family members and friends who smoke to quit smoking also.
Don’t allow smoking in your home, car, or around you.
In public places, stay away from secondhand smoke.

Other home care

Learn percussion and postural drainage. Do it 2 to 3 times a day. Ask your doctor for instructions.
Learn to do controlled breathing. Ask your doctor for instructions.
Take your medicine exactly as directed. Don’t skip doses or take double doses.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet.
Exercise within your doctor's guidelines.
Unless told otherwise, drink at least 8 glasses of fluid every day to thin mucus and secretions.
Stay at a healthy weight. Ask your provider for help to lose any extra pounds.
Get a flu shot every year. Ask your doctor about pneumonia vaccines.
Stay away from allergens, pollution, and dust.
Get medical care right away for infections.
Think about installing a home air-conditioning system with a filter and humidity control.
Consider joining a support group or seeing a professional counselor. People with chronic lung conditions are more likely to have depression and anxiety.

Follow-up care

Talk with your doctor about getting flu and pneumococcal vaccines. Make a follow-up appointment with your doctor, or as advised.

Call 911

Call 911 right away if:

You have chest pain or tightness in the chest.
You have shortness of breath that doesn't get better after taking medicine.
Your skin or lips are blue, purple, or gray in color.
You have problems talking or swallowing.
You feel faint.

When to contact your doctor

Contact your doctor right away if:

You have a fever of 100.4°F ( 38°C) or higher, or as directed by your doctor.
Your mucus is yellow, green, bloody, or smelly.
You have symptoms that get worse or new symptoms.
You have more than a normal amount of mucus.

Online Medical Reviewer: Chris Southard RN
Online Medical Reviewer: Daphne Pierce-Smith RN MSN
Online Medical Reviewer: Mahammad Juber MD

Date Last Reviewed: 6/1/2025