4. When the PMV is on the tracheostomy tube, I seem to start coughing and sometimes the PMV will pop right off of my tracheostomy tube. What should I do?

PMV users have reported that they will cough when wearing the PMV, especially when they first put the PMV on their tracheostomy tube. This is because the air being exhaled is going through the throat instead of out of the tracheostomy tube and they are feeling secretions that are in the throat. Sometimes they will cough hard enough that the PMV will pop off of the tracheostomy tube. When this happens, check to see if suctioning through the tracheostomy tube and/or mouth is needed. After suctioning, place the PMV back on the tracheostomy tube. Be sure to put the PMV on the tracheostomy tube using a firm quarter turn, but do not force the PMV onto the tracheostomy tube.

Most PMV users have found that they are able to cough up secretions through the mouth when the PMV is on and that they don't need to be suctioned as often.

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