Buteyko breathing method

Hi guys, I wonder if somebody has some experience with this breathing method. Some questions:

- Did it helped you or not?

- Did you completed some course or just learn from home alone ?

Some advices for me about this method?

Thanks.

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Hi guys, I wonder if somebody has some experience with this breathing method. Some questions:

- Did it helped you or not?

- Did you completed some course or just learn from home alone ?

Some advices for me about this method?

Thanks.

The deep breathing method is quite possibly the answer to avoiding an asthma attack for millions of sufferers. I have used it for the last sixty years but I am also a smoker. However, I would recommend deep breathing if you can remember to do it each day as a habit.

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Hi,

I did a couple of sessions with a practitioner last year. I feel the secrecy grown up around Buteyko to some extent echoes the charlatan aspects of the man himself. That one can only gain access to the technique by handing over money to his latter day disciples does not suggest a generous and open wish to help others, rather fleece them. Because even if they (Buteyko practitioners) were to argue that they have paid for their training and therefore can charge professionally, what I learnt about the techniques could be learnt in just a morning and thereafter it is practice, not further teaching. I do think there are some benefits from it. Not that I am still practising it. Basically it helps one to breathe more shallowly (unlike the suggestion by Grown Up above), and therefore regulate more naturally the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide, learning, with practice, not to over-breathe therefore. I understand the principle but couldn't be doing with the daily exercises, and I am not convinced it is anyway something for all asthmatics.

In my humble opinion.

[RichardFriedel in reply to Hidden]

I am generally against the Buteyko method because it ignores breathing basics. Firstly, inhaling with a stiff upper lip (in the literal sense) overcomes asthma to a certain extent and is more effective than the efforts in Buteyko to force the body to train away the asthmatic urge to breathe (ineffectively) more.than is needed. I trained to exend so.called control pauses of over 2 minutes but this did not change my sensitivity to pollen at all.

The previous posting ("I did a couple of sessions..".) reflects my opinion of Professor Buteyko's method. I recommend another Russian breathing method that is firstly more scientific and secondly more truly do-it-yourself and somewaht less dependent on having a trainer. see "Strelnikova to reduce asthma attacks" for a video.on the Internet.

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Not as yet but my consultant and resp physio are keen for me to try it as an add-on; it's the only 'alternative' therapy currently approved by NICE for treatment of asthma on the NHS. They have stressed it is not 'instead of' but alongside medication, which currently doesn't give me full control.

I was also concerned about some of the stuff I found online about Buteyko and the cult like aspect of it. I did say this to my physio and she told me to go and look at the Buteyko Breathing Association website. I think this was to reassure me both that it can be helpful, that there is proper peer-reviewed evidence for its possible effectiveness (they know now that I respond better when they give me something to look up and don't just 'declare' that it's the case without feeling the need to explain) and that they're not trying to claim that 'all' I have is breathing problems because the BBA website makes it very clear that it can *in some people* reduce symptoms and medication use but is not a replacement for medications and does not mean that you 'don't have asthma', or that 'all asthma is just poor breathing'.

I would like to try it (I am really fed up of being on pred!) but a little worried about the level of time/commitment required. I don't mind putting the time in but have to question when, given I don't know how I'd practise at work.

Hope this helps!

EDIT Forgot to say you can get it on the NHS though can be hard to find someone close to you who is licensed to provide it. Apparently they have levels of licenses to provide it for children, for adults and for children and adults with complex/severe breathing problems. To get that certfication they have to complete the relevant training course.