I tend to resist reading Books on Asthma, preferring to consume recent research I find on the web. However, I made an exception for a 2014 Book called: A Cure for Asthma? by David L. Hahn MD (link below) Kindle Edition (200+ Pages).
It’s an intriguing read at odds with much conventional thinking but written by an obviously intelligent American Doctor who does not claim his ‘advocated treatment’ is right for all Asthmatics or ‘all kinds’ of Asthma.
It certainly made me look at Asthma in a different light, and I found it a worthwhile read.
Included are a set of case studies as well as a detailed explanation of DLH’s Ideas on Asthma.
I’m NOT saying I now advocate treatment in line with the ideas of DLH but I’m certainly thinking carefully about what he has to say.
I’m not even confident you’d find an NHS Doctor that would / could ‘prescribe’ in line with DLH’s ideas but - once more - being aware of these ideas makes you stop and think. (And there’s always Private Consultants who ‘might’ be able to facilitate you if the approach taken by DLH is a close match for ‘your Asthma’ and ‘your thinking’ as far as Asthma is concerned).
By the way, although the kindle version of the Book is priced at just under £4, for some reason all the physical copies I came across were very pricey.
At least with kindle books you can easy add and remove your own highlights and notes without spoiling your copy. (Ain’t Technology Grand!). I understand you can also read them on most Tablets without owning a kindle, if you download the kindle App.
Before anyone asks - no - I don’t earn any commission on Sales.
I tend to get inherently twitchy about books with sub-titles like "what so-&-so isn't telling you", but all the same I'd be interested in knowing more. In particular, given he first published findings around 25 years ago, have any large(r)-scale trials been done & anything that's been peer reviewed?
Can only suggest you take the plunge and give it a read. The answer to your question is not as straight forward as your question suggests it should be.
Don’t think you’d regret the small financial investment, though I appreciate that taking the time to read a book is something of a commitment (and that ‘time is money’ as they say).
The Ideas he puts forward seem to have consolidated throughout the period up to 2014 and - if he’s right - then the treatment he advocates would be as appropriate today as when his ideas firsts came about.
I will have a look - I've got a big reading list on the go at the moment (on a health theme, I'm reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which is a fascinating mix of science & social history). I'll try & have a look at some point in time though
Another route to go is Buteko. I read about it and decided to give it a try so went to a course in London. It was a waste of time and money for me but I suppose it could work for some. But if it it is so effective why haven't we heard more about it? Seems to be based on shallow breathing. Anyone else tried it?
I did. It's the only non-medical therapy recommended by NICE for asthma but as with anything they have weighed up the evidence and don't suggest it is a miracle cure as some Buteyko people do.
It can help some people reduce medication, but did nothing for my asthma beyond reduce some bad habits I had in breathing due to thr asthma. However, ordinary physio in my case did pretty much the same. I did it with a respiratory physio who is trained in Buteyko as well which helped me to be sure I was doing it right.
Some respiratory physios are less keen on certain more extreme aspects like taping the mouth shut to encourage nose breathing, especially for morr severe asthma. The physio did tell me that it could actually be useful as a way of monitoring asthma once I had the techniques (the control pause drops). I did actually find this was the case and as someone who finds peak flow not useful it was a good tool for me, though not one many drs/nurses would use.
I am definitely not a fan of the cult side of Buteyko you see in some places, especially the claims that all asthma is just bad breathing habits. These habits dom't help.asthma but just NO - dangerous to suggest people should ditch medication.
Been asthmatic since I was 5, now 74. Really bad time in 2016 when I caught pseudomonus in hospital and spent most of the following six months in and out of hospital with constant chest infections. Agree about peak flow, I asked my asthma nurse if I should keep a PF diary but as mine doesn't fluctuate much decided against. My PF is 150 at best. Pulmonary Rehab is fab, I have to learn to live as healthy a life as possible
I have recently completed a pulmonary rehab course and I agree with Samsgran, it was very good. My daughter, who is in her forties, has joined a running group. She started with asthma several years ago and when she started running, she would have to stop after a short while to use her blue inhaler. She recently did 10k and no longer needs her blue inhaler! If any of you out there are young enough, it may be something to consider?
Did she check with her doctor before she started running? I used to run but I would never not tell someone with asthma to visit their doctor first. You don't go out and just run a 10k. I discovered that when they say consult with your doctor before starting these exercises they mean it much to my chagrin.
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