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Breathing
Life into Medical Theories
by Sally Magnusson,
The Herald, Scotland, Monday January 6 1997
When the BBC programme Frontline Scotland reveals the results of
the two months it spent following the progress of asthma sufferers
using the Buteyko breathing method, it will be reopening a medical
controversy which has been simmering in Scotland for some months.
Ever since the practitioners of the method, developed by the Russian
professor Konstantin Buteyko, began their breathing classes in Glasgow,
heralded by the astounding claim asthma can be corrected by shallow
breathing, opinion has been sharply divided.
Doctors by and large feel the theory that all asthmatics breathe
incorrectly doesn’t hold water. They say only the tiny percentage
who hyperventilate acutely are likely to be helped by changing their
breathing. Prof Buteyko, however. argues all asthmatics breathe
more than they should , the degree of over-breathing determines
the severity of the asthma, and that by improving their breathing
they will improve their asthma.
It’s a theory passionately supported by the growing numbers
of asthmatics who have persevered with the method and found their
asthma improving, sometimes dramatically. Since every course brings
together all types of asthma, whether exercise induced or allergy
based, mild or severe, acquired in childhood or later in life, and
since the majority of sufferers appear to benefit, a far higher
proportion than the 4% or so of acute hyperventilators are seeing
an improvement in their asthma. Four months ago, The Herald followed
the progress of several people who took part in the first Buteyko
workshop in Scotland. At the end of the five evening-course, the
diaries they kept chartered, in every case, a reduction in symptoms.
The real challenge, however, would be in the weeks ahead, as they
sought to persevere with a breathing method that requires considerable
effort.
With Frontline Scotland set to reveal the results of another such
course, it seemed appropriate to chart the progress of that first
group. Pam Duncan, from the Isle of Arran, says it has changed her
life. She has been able to start a new job, after being unable to
cope with the last one because of her asthma. Her family have insisted
she change her message on the answer-phone because she sounds so
different from the wheezy character who recorded the original one.
"I was on so much medication I can barely remember it all.
Now I’m off everything except Uniphyllin (which I’ve reduced
from 400mg twice a day to 300mg once a day ) and the steroid inhaler
Flixotide which will be the last one to go. I’m also off Prozac
which I was on for the depression I was getting because I was always
so ill with asthma. "I’ve had three chest infections since
the course, which I had to be on antibiotics for, but I haven’t
needed to increase the asthma medication, which is amazing"
Meridith Cooper from Rhu has found the breathing exercises extremely
hard work. "If I stick at it, I’m well. If I lapse, the
asthma returns. But I am very, very impressed . I haven’t used
Ventolin in four months an I’m ready now to half my dosage
of steroids".
The huge reserves of willpower required to sustain the Buteyko
method seems to be the main reason it doesn’t work for everyone.
In a culture hooked on instant remedies, the physical effort and
mental stamina it takes to recondition a lifetime’s breathing
habit comes as a shock. A hospital physician who enrolled four of
his NHS patients on a Buteyko course was extremely disappointed
with the results. Two did not even finish the course.
Meredith Cooper’s brother Guy Nelson was also on the first
course. He had asthma induced solely by exercise, which in a sports
lover was a major handicap. He found it difficult at first to play
hockey with his mouth tightly closed, but eventually began to experience
definite improvement. He now feels in control of his asthma.
One of several children on the course, Amy Birchard, 9, has persevered
with the exercises and feels much better. Her father, Paul Birchard
said "I feel it’s a truthful theory and it works".
Joanne Webster, 16, from Angus, has also been able to reduce her
medication, she has more energy and feels warmer. Her consultant
was very impressed by the improvement in her condition. Alasdair,
18, Fearghas, 8 and their mother, Fiona Lyon, did the course together
as a family. Alasdair reports that they have not used their inhalers
at all since then. They can all now go into houses where there are
cats and dogs without suffering. "It’s very hard work,"
said Alasdair, "but it’s worth it."
Elaine Gillespie, 17, from Greenock, was a severe asthmatic on
high doses of drugs, who looked and felt ill all the time. She is
amazed at how much better she has been. She was able to come off
most of the drugs and has felt hugely better without the shakiness
and the fluctuating heart-rate she had been experiencing as side
effects. Her one set back has been a bout of pneumonia, but she
intends to restart the breathing method once she recovers. "I
think everybody should be able to do this" she said. "It
should be on the NHS"
Whether the Buteyko method ever makes it on to the NHS, which currently
spends hundreds of millions of pounds on asthma drugs, depends on
clinical trials which may take years to carry out. So far the only
controlled study has been staged in Australia, where 40 asthmatic
patients were divided into two groups which followed either a Buteyko
regime or standard asthma treatment and relaxation techniques. After
six weeks there was a 90% reduction in the symptomatic medication
in the Buteyko group compared with a 5% reduction in the other.
There was also a significant improvement in the quality of life
of the Buteyko group. Australian respiratory physicians expressed
surprise at the results. The Buteyko practitioners in this country,
Alexander Stalmatski and Christopher Drake, operate out of London’s
Hale Clinic. Research studies are under way but it may be a long
time before the clinical trials that could prove or disprove the
Buteyko theory are up and running.
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