The Buteyko breathing method is an all-natural form of asthma treatment that's gaining popularity as more and more research backs its effectiveness and as interest in complementary and alternative care for asthma grows. Research has shown that asthmatics tend to over-breathe, taking in air faster and heavier than people who don’t have asthma. The Buteyko breathing method was designed to help people with asthma gain control.
It’s no wonder that Buteyko is catching the attention of some of the 20 million asthma patients in the United States. Despite the number of available asthma medications, including both long- and short-term relievers, the condition is still poorly controlled in many patients. Each year, asthma is to blame for about 500,000 hospital stays.
Even more troubling, research has shown that some asthma medications may actually worsen the condition. Researchers at Wake Forest University studied the effects of beta-agonists, the most widely used form of bronchodilator, on T-cells. These researchers found that the beta-agonists trigger an accumulation of T-cells in the body. This is relevant for asthma because an overactive T-cell response has been linked to an increase in inflammation, which is the underlying cause in most asthma cases. A few years ago, researchers linked long-acting bronchodilator use to an increase in mortality, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a so-called black box warning on some of these drugs.
What to Expect From Buteyko
Konstantin Buteyko was a Russian physician who believed that the length of time someone could hold his breath said a great deal about the person’s breathing capabilities. The goal of the Buteyko method is to help asthma patients regain normal breathing without medication.
“The FDA has put out warnings on long-acting bronchodilators, but has not offered options for how to get off those medications,” says Carol Baglia, a registered respiratory therapist and certified Buteyko educator based in Cleveland, Ohio. “Buteyko is a great way to do that.”
Baglia and other Buteyko practitioners typically teach the Buteyko method in a group setting, ideally in classes of five to six people that meet weekly. Participants fill out an intake form that helps the practitioner identify the specific type of breathing problem. For example, some cases of asthma manifest as wheezing, others coughing, and still others shortness of breath or chest tightness. Similarly, some people experience asthma symptoms in response to environmental triggers, while others only have trouble during exercise or in times of emotional upset.
Class members, either in a seated position or while in motion, are guided through a series of Buteyko breathing exercises and postures designed to normalize breathing patterns. Specific techniques are adjusted to address each member’s difficulties, but the overarching theme for asthma issues is to calm the breath.
“We try and reduce the urgency for air,” says Baglia. “To do this, we work on relaxing and slowing down the breath. One technique is having class members take long pauses while breathing, always after the exhalation.”
Although a group class is the preferred method for teaching Buteyko, many practitioners offer one-on-one sessions. Most people notice improvement in their asthma symptoms after just one class, but to fully readjust patterns so that normal breathing is automatic, the typical time frame is six months.
What Buteyko Research Has Shown
A recent study performed at University of Calgary looked at the effect of Buteyko breathing on patients who use inhaled corticosteroids to control their asthma. Researchers followed up with study participants six months after receiving Buteyko therapy and found that they not only had improved control of their asthma, but also reported decreased use of inhaled corticosteroids.
In another study, Buteyko techniques were put to the test when researchers looked at more than 80 adults with dysfunctional breathing patterns. According to Buteyko theory, breath holding time (BHT) is used as a predictor of carbon dioxide levels in the lungs, which is thought to contribute to hyperventilation. Researchers in this study measured BHT against CO2 levels and actually disproved the Buteyko theory that there is a correlation between BHT and CO2 levels. However, the same study concluded that abnormal breathing patterns are a liable culprit in cases of difficulty breathing and recommend therapies such as Buteyko to improve breathing mechanics.
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