How is PCD Treated?
There is not a specific treatment for PCD. You and your healthcare provider will focus on removing trapped mucus from your airways and treating any sinus, lung or ear infections.
Antibiotics can be used to address bacterial infections. When symptoms are more severe, you might need antibiotics through an IV for a few weeks at a time. This can sometimes be done at home but might mean a stay in the hospital. While in the hospital, you will likely receive airway clearance with physical therapy. How often this occurs varies from person to person. Your provider may recommend saline nasal sprays, anti-inflammatory nasal spray or oral medications.
Airway clearance methods, including breathing and coughing techniques, need to be done frequently to help the lungs stay clear. Chest physical therapy (CPT), which involves pounding on your chest or back repeatedly with your hands, or the use of a device to loosen the mucus from your lungs so you can cough it up, can be done with the help of a specialist. You may be prescribed bronchodilators before CPT or other lung medications, which help open the airways by relaxing the muscles around them.
Even with the best care, PCD may lead to severe lung disease that needs more intensive treatment. Supplemental oxygen might be needed at night or during exercise. With very severe disease, such as respiratory failure, breathing assistance devices might be needed, and if the lungs are failing, doctors might suggest an assessment for lung transplantation. While few patients with PCD need a lung transplant, it can be effective in certain situations.
Reviewed and approved by the American Lung Association Scientific and Medical Editorial Review Panel.
Page last updated: August 6, 2026
