This presents the Buteyko Method for overcoming asthma, substantially reducing reliance on drugs. This method has been researched extensively and reported in Australia with excellent results. This is taken from the web site of Jennifer Harris a practioner of this method in Australia for whom we thank.

The Buteyko Method is a system of breathing analysis and correction that helps you achieve good health through optimum breathing as discovered, researched and taught by Professor Buteyko.

It is a safe and effective way to relieve and prevent asthma as evidenced by the Australian clinical trial at the Mater Hospital in Brisbane in 1994 and the Victoria University trail in 1999. It corrects the common condition of hyperventilation or over-breathing, obvious (acute) or hidden (chronic) by using breath control, breathing exercises and education to help sufferers understand their condition, control symptoms and prevent illness.

The method is learnt through individual consultations and group sessions with a trained practitioner. Buteyko clients are instructed (5 daily sessions of 90 minutes plus follow-up, usually another 5 sessions) to recognise their overbreathing pattern and to retrain and recondition their breathing to normal levels. Overwhelmingly, they notice immediate improvement and by the end of the 5 day workshop, significant improvement has been achieved.

Professor Konstantin Buteyko, a Russian medical doctor, observed in 1952 that a majority of the human population actually over-breathe, some more severely than others. Most people are unaware of this. He called it Hidden Hyperventilation, long term over-breathing not clearly visible to the individual or the doctor.

He also observed that people became more ill when their breathing volume increased further. Those who then reduced their breathing began to recover. This fact had been noted long before but it was Professor Buteyko's research and techniques that enhanced the lives of thousands of people and stunned the medical profession. For various reasons, attempts were made to suppress his findings but doctors who had found that the method worked, continued to use it. Eventually, results of Russian trials were released that vindicated Professor Buteyko's work and he was free to train pupils in his method.

One of his best pupils was Alexander (Sasha) Stalmatski who was invited to Australia in the early 1990's to teach the Buteyko Method and train practitioners. He stayed for 6 years and is now based in the Hale Clinic in London.

Breathing is one of the most important things you can change to improve the way your body functions. To have good health, you must have good breathing. The link between asthma and hyperventilation has been observed and written about in medical literature since at least 1945.

Deep breathing as a cause of fatality in animals was observed in experiments conducted in 1909 by Dr. Henderson. Asthmatics generally hyperventilate or over-breathe up to 3 times more than is normal, even between attacks. During attacks, their breathing increases even more. This encourages spasm of the bronchi and decreases the efficiency with which oxygen is taken up. Fear, anxiety, poor breath control and lack of understanding makes asthma worse than it needs to be for most sufferers. Learning to breathe effectively gives asthmatics an important tool to help themselves.

How does the Buteyko method work? In December 1994, a three-month research trial at the Mater Hospital in Brisbane, jointly funded by the Asthma Foundations, began into the Buteyko Method. A group taught the Buteyko Method was compared to a control group on conventional medical treatment and standard physiotherapy breathing exercises. After six weeks, the Buteyko group showed: * 90% reduction in bronchodilator use compared to 5% reduction in the control group; * statistically significant reduction in symptoms and improvement in quality of life.

After twelve weeks, the Buteyko group also showed a 49% reduction in steroid use. These results have been recently confirmed in another study at Victoria University where twelve weeks after learning the Buteyko Method, asthmatics were able to reduce reliever medication by an average of 92%. There is now no doubt that the Buteyko Method can relieve the symptoms of the overwhelming majority of sufferers. The current explanation of how this astounding success works is based on a theoretical model that posits that the symptoms are nothing more than the natural response of the body to conserve the internal concentration of carbon dioxide by closing down escape passages. Thus, to this end in respiratory afflictions, the nasal passages and lungs are blocked off by mucous, inflammation of the bronchial passages themselves occurs and the bronchi undergo spasm.

A particular level of carbon dioxide is desirable for maintaining the acid/base level in the blood, for keeping the oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange equilibrium in balance and even for triggering involuntary breathing when we are asleep or unconscious. However, most people over-breathe and this leads to a higher oxygen intake and concomitant lower carbon dioxide level in the body than is desirable. If there is too little carbon dioxide or too much oxygen from over-breathing, the haemoglobin carrying the oxygen will not release its oxygen to the tissues as easily as it otherwise would. This can lead not only to breathing difficulties and constriction of certain blood vessels, particularly those going to the brain but also to general respiratory problems and ultimately to other conditions such as alkalosis of the blood. Paradoxically then, while overbreathing means we take in more oxygen, we are actually getting less oxygen released to certain critical areas of our body.

When we over-breathe, the major body systems including the respiratory, circulatory, nervous and energy systems, are affected. Breathing can be disturbed by stress, exercise, infection, some medications, some foods, poor instruction and bad habits. By correcting over-breathing, in many cases, one gets to the basic causative or contributing factor to many physiological problems.

Hyperventilation (over-breathing) causes a drying out and irritation of the airways as well as an excessive loss of carbon dioxide. Other effects of low carbon dioxide include: 1.spasm of the bronchi 2.increased mucous production 3.increased excitability of the nervous system 4.apnea (cessation of breathing) 5.acid/alkali imbalance which (i.) impairs immune function; (ii.) disturbs metabolism and energy production; (iii.) increases allergic reactivity 6.breathlessness 7.poor circulation 8.dizziness 9.headaches 10.palpitations

Am I breathing incorrectly? Can you hear yourself breathe? Do you breathe through your mouth ever, including when exercising? Do you sigh, yawn, sneeze, wheeze or snore? Do you pant, cough or blow your nose? Is your sleep not refreshing? Do you wake at night? Do you get short of breath? Can you feel your upper chest area move? Do you get headaches or dizziness? One or more YES answers can indicate incorrect breathing.

What about my medication and other treatments? You can continue other treatment while also applying the Buteyko Method. As you master the breathing exercises, you learn to stop the onset of certain symptoms such as wheezing, blocked nose, breathlessness, fatigue and anxiety. People report that symptoms cease or occur less frequently and they need less medication. B.I.B.H. practitioners follow the Asthma Foundation guidelines of relieving medication as needed and preventative medication as prescribed. Asthmatics generally find that they need to use much less bronchodilator or symptom relieving medication within a few days but are requested not to change their preventative medication without consulting a doctor.