Alternative Medicine: Buteyko Breathing Method

I've suffered from asthma since I was an early teenager. At first, it was slight difficulty breathing during heavy activity near grasses, but it eventually grew to include many different types of plant pollen and animal dander saliva. Fortunately, I was able to get a prescription for Albuterol (salbutamol) to deal with attacks, and the symptoms were easily treatable.

Unfortunately, beginning January 1, 2009, CFC (chlorofluorocarbons) inhalers became illegal due to CFCs damaging the atmosphere. For those that are unaware, CFC inhalers were the gold standard of asthma inhalers, proven to be much more effective than alternatives. CFC acted as a propellant for the salbutamol medication, which causes smooth muscle relaxation, dilating the bronchial passages and releasing insulin. The replacement inhalers use HFA (hydrofluoroalkane) as a propellant. HFA is not as strong as CFC, it tends to clog more often, it's more expensive, has a reduced shelf-life, and, most importantly, is less effective in administering the often life-saving medication as it has a lower concentration of the drug. I experienced this first hand when switching from my CFC Albuterol to my newer HFA Proventil. In my own experience (not scientific) it was less effective and the effect of the drug was shorter overall.

I still suffer from asthma, so I decided to seek out other options. My first searches yielded unsupported pseudoscience such as acupuncture, meditation, and prayer. Alternative, non prescription medications I tried (such as Primatene tablets) were nearly ineffective. I'd nearly given up hope when I stumbled upon an old website on the Buteyko method.

The Buteyko method is a holistic practice that includes a set of breathing exercises developed by Russian doctor Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko. Essentially, the theory is that asthma is not as much an allergic reaction as it is simply irregular breathing; hyperventilation. An asthma sufferer will breathe in, but not exhale correctly during an attack, which worsens the symptoms. Remember, just as your body needs oxygen in order to function, your body also needs carbon dioxide and bicarbonate.

So what is this technique? Essentially it's reduced breathing through the nose and relaxation. When you feel the symptoms of asthma, sit calmly with your back straight, close your mouth and breathe slowly through your nose. When you're relaxed, exhale completely from your lungs until they are empty or nearly empty. Now wait. When you start to feel uncomfortable, breathe slowly in through your nose. Repeat this, staying calm. Do not try this on your own, though. It's a bit more complicated than my description.

I've been using this technique for about 4 weeks now and it's been phenomenal. My asthma symptoms have been not only controlled during attacks, but have been lessening in frequency steadily.

Before you get on my case about this being pseudoscience or my experience not being scientific evidence of the effectiveness of the technique, every clinical, randomized study done on the technique has demonstrated that the technique reduces the need for medication and improves asthma control. Some studies can be found here, here, here, here, here, and here.

If you're interested in learning the Buteyko breathing method, please speak to your asthma specialist first. I am not a doctor, and it's always better to be skeptical of things of this nature. If your doctor gives you the okay, you need to find a licensed physician to assess you and then guide you through the process. Do not learn this technique from an unlicensed practitioner.

I hope this can be as helpful for you as it has been so far for me.