Breathing Technique for Asthma
In the mid-twentieth century, a Russian physiology professor named Konstantin Buteyko performed a study on the role of breathing in illness. His observations, coupled with his studies in Yoga, convinced him that hyperventilating was a culprit in the exacerbation of a number of illnesses, mostly notably asthma. He went on to develop a breathing technique known as the Buteyko Method, which is now taught worldwide and has been shown in a number of studies to reduce the need for both beta2-agonist inhalers such as Ventolin and corticosteroid inhalers (in one study, a reduction of 96% for the beta2-agonist inhaler and 49% for the corticosteroid inhaler).
Buteyko theorized that hyperventilating created in imbalance in the amount of oxygen versus carbon dioxide in the blood, which caused the hemoglobin molecule to cling too tightly to the oxygen it carried, thereby starving the tissues of oxygen. He felt that the resultant swelling of bronchioles was actually the body’s way of trying to reassert a healthy balance of O2 and CO2 by counteracting the hyperventilation so that tissues could be properly oxygenated. He reasoned that if you could get patients to slow their breathing dramatically, you might be able to ease asthmatic symptoms.
The CO2/O2 connection has never been proven, but the success of Buteyko and “Buteyko-like” breathing techniques have, as mentioned above. Not having access to a Buteyko practitioner in town, I decided to undertake my own process of changing my breathing patterns when I was having so much trouble getting my asthma under control.
First, I noticed that I was unconsciously hyperventilating most of the time. I was breathing rapidly and shallowly, from the tops of my lungs. So I made a conscious effort to start using my diaphragm to breathe (check out this site for instructions). This took considerable effort as I was used to breathing a different way. And I had to re-train myself to breathe from my diaphragm separately for every activity I did. First I was able to breathe diaphragmatically while sitting. But if I did anything else, like walking, biking, or skating, I reverted to my old habits. Little by little, though, I was able to establish this as my new habit.
The other thing I did, which is equally important, is that I slowed down each breath, particularly the exhale. I went from taking 25 breaths a minute to 6 breaths a minute. In addition to slowing down each breath, I lengthened the pause between the exhale and the inhale. Ideally, I tried to count quickly to 25 before taking my next breath. (One of the side-benefits of breathing like this is that it promotes lowered blood pressure.) It did take a dedicated effort, but I eventually changed the way I breathe. And between this and the NAET, it has meant that not only do I not need to take any medication, herbs, or anything else for asthma, I almost never experience any asthma any more.
The few times that I have—and in each case, I had unconsciously started hyperventilating—I was able to avoid using an inhaler by simply slowing down my breathing. My body fights it at first. It thinks it needs to breathe rapidly to survive. So, it can feel very counterintuitive. But what I do is slow down my exhale and try to lengthen the time between exhale and inhale by one count per breath until I’m up to anywhere between 19 and 20. Usually, by the time I get to that point, the asthma episode has passed.
Anyone can try practicing a similar method on their own. Or, you can purchase a DVD that will teach you the Buteyko method here. I’m not aware of any workshops or practitioners nearby (if any readers do know of any, please let me know!), but here’s a link to an article about a practitioner who works in Massachusetts. Alternatively, you can try using the breathing techniques offered by the discipline of Yoga. The important thing, I believe, is to slow our breathing down. Studies showed that both Buteyko and Butekyo-like methods were equally effective in most cases.
And of course, you should never cut back or stop taking any current medications for asthma without doing so under your physician’s supervision. What you might try doing is practicing your technique when you’re not under stress, and then, if you find yourself hyperventilating or struggling to breathe, try using this method first. Then, if you’re not experiencing relief within a few minutes, use your inhaler. But don’t give up! Just keep at it patiently and you might find yourself delighted with the results.
Monday, March 9, 2009