Paula -
Atelectasis can happen to anyone.

Main cause is just not doing exercises and stretches to open up the chest, ribs, and therefore lungs.

I cannot say this enough.
Use a Spirometer -- the one they give every hospital patient.

And, buy a little product on Amazon called The ReBreather.
Its the best of the best, invented by a respiratory therapist.

Using both of these, creates pressure in the deepest parts of the lungs, that "blows" them open, like blowing up a balloon.

The lower lung area is dark, sticky, stale with no new fresh air, and riddled with bacteria.

Its a CAVE.

In older folks who arent running around like kids, this area deflates, collapses, and sticks together.

This is simply awful, because it is a set up for pneumonia, and sure enough, most pneumonias begin in these deflated icky sticky lower lobe areas.

People who are obese, or stooped over from a bad back, or who have other lung issues, or who have fluid build-up either outside or inside the lungs ... or who are bedridden, or lacking in all activity ...

Well ... its not a pretty picture ... these people above have smashed lungs in the bottom lobes, and they are declining, and likely to get really really sick ... ITS LIKE A TIME BOMB ... BUT YOU CAN FIGHT IT ...

As long as one is up and about, you can fight atelectasis, with the Spirometer and ReBreather !!!

Move, get up !!, walk upright, stretch !!, open up those ribs, do deep breathing !!, do forced coughing throughout the day as that is Mother Natures self cleaning lung system, just coughing !!!

Fortunately, I have not had any problems with my lungs, but here’s my story. Hi here is my story.
Since my first showing up on this website, I have had substantial improvements. I've been through my stem cell transplant and a chemo drug that they used for people with leukemia. They were both very brutal. Then they put me on a new drug and I am doing very well. It's call TECVAYLI. It is a sub Q injectable. I have had minimal side effects but I feel much better even though I am 72.

It's not a lung problem for me. It's sinus problem with drainage. Catches in my throat and I take guiffenisen to loosen it up. Helps cough it up
But it's not in my lungs.

I have had pneumonia twice which was caused by fluid getting down in my lungs from my allergies. I am taking ,Zyertec D and that has stopped the drainage.

I also have actelactisis from my kyphosis. My lungs were crushed by the fractured vertebrae. This caused me to experience respiratory arrest following surgery on my back.