The most common symptom of bronchiectasis is coughing up phlegm, often in large amounts, every day. Some people experience shortness of breath or wheeze and may also have problems with their sinuses. The build-up of mucus in your airways makes your lungs more vulnerable to infection, which can make these symptoms worse. Less common symptoms include coughing up blood and chest pain.

It is diagnosed with a good quality CT scan of the chest which establishes which lobes have been affected. Sputum should be cultured to detect the bacteria living in the scarred areas and to rule out TB.

The key to managing bronchiectasis is minimising the amount of ‘sputum’ (phlegm or mucus) within the airways to prevent lung infection and ‘flares’. The simplest and most effective ways to do this are with chest physiotherapy techniques. If you get an infection, it should be treated with antibiotics. Very occasionally, in cases where bronchiectasis occurs in a single section of the lung, the damaged areas can be removed with surgery.