Breath
Taking News?
Sylvia Thompson
looks at a new treatment for asthma, Irish Times, 13/1/1997
A new drug-free treatment for asthma which runs contrary to the
established medical approach is currently gaining ground. Known
as the Buteyko method, it involves asthmatics learning breathing-correction
techniques which allow them to reduce their asthma medication substantially
and control asthma attacks through shallow breathing.
"Ashtma is a breathing disorder and all asthmatics suffer
from chronic hyper-ventilation," says Sasha Stalmatsky, a Buteyko
method practitioner who trained with Prof Buteyko, the medical doctor
who began developing his technique in Russia 20 years ago.
According to Buteyko, asthmatics breathe in about 15 litres of
air a minute as compared to the norm of five litres. Contrary to
poular belief and to much of the established theory on asthma, Buteyko
discovered that deep breathing has a counter-productive effect on
asthma in that it upsets the ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide in
the body.
Buteyko's research found that the body's need for carbon dioxide
to allow the correct release and retention of oxygen in the blood
is seriously underfunded through chronic over-breathing. Thus, only
by breathing less deeply will the correct amount of carbon dioxide
become available to allow the optimum levels of oxygen to reach
the bodily organs and dilate the bronchial tubes.
Over a series of five 180-minute daily workshops, Buteyko practitioners
teach the asthmatic the techniques of shallow nasal breathing. Then,
over time and with practice, the asthmatic continues to breathe
in this shallow way which prevents overstraining and thus prevents
asthma attacks. Simply doing some shallow breathing exercises can,
with practice, according to Stalmatsky, counteract an asthma attack.
Joan Goldenberg (53) had been dealing with her asthma in the conventional
way until she went to a series of Buteyko workshops in London last
April. "I was taking more than 20 shots of reliever medication
and six shots of preventative daily," she explains.
"All asthmatics are taught to breathe deeply and slowly in
conventional asthma treatment whereas the Buteyko method teaches
the opposite. With some persuasion I went along to the workshops
and since then, life has been wonderful.
"The Buteyko method isn't a cure. I will always have asthma
but since I have done the course, I've saved myself from about 6,000
shots of drugs.
"The psycholgical reliance on medication is the hardest thing
to overcome -although I did go out once without my medication and
and when I felt an attack coming on, I practised my shallow breathing
and it went away," she adds.
Tina Deegan (17) has suffered from asthma for three years. Before
she went to the Buteyko workshops she was taking her preventative
medication twice daily and her reliever medication a few times a
week. Now she rarely has to take her relievers. "When I went
to the workshop, I was told I was breathing for six people,"
she says. "I learned how to breathe in and out through my nose
only and to control my breathing with pauses," she explains.
"And if you find that you breathe through your mouth at night-time,
they recommend that you tape your mouth up. I did this and it has
helped tremendously. I find it makes such a difference to the whole
day. I'm bouncing with energy. If I feel a bit tight (chested),
I do the exercises and it goes.
"In the beginning I found the exercises very difficult but
I was determined to do it. Now I have slipped into the routine of
shallow breathing all the time and I only need to do the exercises
twice a day," she adds.
The Buteyko method is still viewed with scepticism among many medical
professionals and asthma societies. "The bottom line is that
anything that helps is welcome but asthma is so variable it is difficult
to prove what causes improvement," says Geralyn Hynes, Asthma
Society nurse. "We wouldn't advise people not to try the Buteyko
method but to stay on the medication while doing so."
However, scientific trials in Australia - funded by the Asthma
Foundation there - compared a control group which received standard
asthma medication with a Butekyo group over 12 weeks. At the end
of the trials, the Buteyko group had reduced its reliance on bronchodilators
by 90% and steroids by 40% while the control group showed no reduction
in medication.
Stalmatsky concedes that not all sufferers can discontinue their
medication following the workshops. "Children are easier to
treat because they have better metabolic processes and their lungs
are not so damaged. It is more complicated with patients who have
suffered a collapsed lung or steroid deficiency," he says.
The Buteyko method is also used for other problems linked to hyperventilation
such as sinusitis, eczema, panic attacks, snoring and sleep apnoea.
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