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Buteyko Breathing Method for Asthma

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Rachael (Chicago, Illinois) on 12/17/2016:
5 out of 5 stars

Thank you so much for sharing this! The copay for my asthma drug recently went up to $358, and I didn't like being steroid drugs, anyway. I had to go to the ER, and after that, was having to use my inhaler several times a day -- because the alternative medications weren't working that great, for me. Still searching for how to heal asthma I found your post. Went to YouTube and learned the Buteyko method. That was three days ago and I have had zero asthma, and needed to take zero medications, neither Rx, nor alternative, since I first used the Buteyko method. It's a miracle. Thank you.

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Gokhals (San Francisco, Ca, Usa) on 07/12/2015:
5 out of 5 stars

Thank you for that recommendation. I am a 56 year old post menopausal woman with very similar symptoms. My heart was pounding, my breathing was constricted. I suspect I had silent reflux, because after dinner, especially late dinner, I would feel the need to cough out fluids from my lungs. Within literally four days, the constricted feeling went away, my heart is not pounding, my pulse is lowered, my mouth breathing at night stopped, I am sleeping much, much better, my am cotton mouth is gone, I feel rested when I wake up, I don't dread going to sleep, I am not waking up in the middle of the night for reasons I cannot fathom. Thank you Earthclinic and thank you for poster, for telling your story.

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Valorie M. (New York, US) on 10/22/2014:
5 out of 5 stars

Tried breathing exercise (buteyko method) where I gently breathe in and out, hold my nose, close my mouth, then walk around the house until I cant breathe any longer. Stand still and count to a minute, then do it again 6 more times. Within a day this has cut my cold/flu/asthma/allergies to 80%. I did it morning and night on an empty stomach. By the 3rd day I am 100% cured.

Marina (Portadown, County Armagh) on 04/27/2013:
5 out of 5 stars

Asthma - I have had wonderful results with the Buteyko Method which helped me manage my asthma especially the wheezing and constricted breathing which kept me awake at night. It worked within 2 or 3 days although I do recommend practising it for at least a month and on and off till the inflamation subsides. I now manage to exercise and can have a good bellylaugh again. It is believed that a low % of CO2 in the lungs - less than 6% - has a detrimental effect on the dilation of the bronchioli and the presence of inflammation increases mucus which further inhibits breathing. I followed and I recommend being pretty diligent for the first 5 days of the exercises it is worth it. Just google/youtube Buteyko and good luck!

I also faithfully drank a litre of tea made from liquorice root (adrenal stress), rose-hip (helps with lung tissue inflammation) and ginseng (beneficial for respiritory problems) for about 6 months. I found it to be very energising.

Cindy (Edison, Nj) on 07/03/2012:
5 out of 5 stars

I don't feel I'm exaggerating when I say the Buteyko method is lifesaving. Upon menopause I developed asthma that I could not get under control and was not clear as to the cause. The best I could determine was that it was related to acid reflux, a not well known condition called silent GERD. All the natural remedies I was trying were not helping. I had seen Buteyko mentioned on this forum but didn't think it would work for me since this didn't appear to be a regular case of asthma.

Out of desperation - it got so bad I could barely climb the stairs, I had to lean on the counter while doing dishes, and would get out of breath while walking the dog. I was using my inhaler 6 - 8 times a day. I looked for a demo of Buteyko method on YouTube and from the few short clips I watched, I was able to get relief almost immediately. By trying what I had observed over the next week or so, I saw vast improvement. I figured I should buy the program book/dvd so I could do the exercises properly, so I purchased the program by Patrick McKeown that other posters have mentioned here.

It's been about two weeks and I'm only using the inhaler once per day - and that is after I've gone a number of hours not doing any of the exercises.

The premise of the program: asthma and some other respiratory conditions are our body's reaction to overbreathing or hyperventilating. We are breathing through our mouths and taking in more oxygen which disrupts the balance of oxygen to CO2. In order to conserve the CO2, our airways constrict and plug with mucus. To overcome this, the method teaches us to breathe through our nose and shows how to clear our nose when stuffy. To balance out the oxygen to CO2 mix, we practise a few seconds of breath holds or control pauses. It may seem daunting at first to asthmatics who fear the feeling of not getting enough air, but the exercises quickly enable you to master your breath and control your asthma rather than it control you.

This program can easily be used by children as well. It works - I am so thankful I finally found relief!

Sabirch1 (Lagrange, Kentucky) on 04/10/2012:
5 out of 5 stars

Just focusing on breathing through my nose has helped my asthma soooo much. I had no idea I took so much air through my mouth until I tried to stop doing it! It's particularly difficult when eating, talking, laughing, coughing, exercising, etc. , but I would encourage anyone with asthma due to airbourne allergies to give it a try. I haven't had to take my rescue inhaler since I started it, and I feel so much better and have much more energy.

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Sofia (Claymont, De) on 10/29/2011:
5 out of 5 stars

The Butyeko method of breathing is a definite MUST for those with asthma and who are committed to getting off asthma meds. I ordered the DVD and book from Amazon, now am currently doing the exercises daily. Along with ACV, I am now down to 1 puff of flovent every other day as opposed to Advair twice a day over a year ago....

Greg (Hilo, Hawaii) on 08/11/2009:
5 out of 5 stars

Aloha to the folks here. My naturopath let me know about a treatment for asthma called Buteyko Breathing Method over 6 years ago. I learned it and have been asthma symptom free since. I just started to teach a workshop on Buteyko. It is so amazing to see people get so much relief from it. Clinical studies show that in 2 to 6 weeks people reduce albuterol / short acting med's by 90% and long term acting meds by 50% with 90% reduction in symptoms. If you are in Hawaii I could teach it to you and if not there are teachers in the U.S.

Good luck and aloha.

greg

Pam (Sydney, NSW Australia) on 01/13/2009:
5 out of 5 stars

I recently had very severe asthma in conjunction with pneumonia. On medical advice I was nebulizing Ventolin and Atrovent every two hours. And I was on two puffs of preventer medication four times a day. Heavy stuff!

Somebody recommended the Buteyko Method. I read up on it, started breathing through my nose, taped my mouth shut at night and did the Buteyko breathing exercises twice a day. Within a few days I no longer needed to nebulize at all. And gradually I was able to reduce the preventer medication down to one puff twice a day.

A month on, continuing with the Buteyko method, my peak flow readings are better than they have ever been.

I strongly recommend the Buteyko Method.

Alan (Rockville, MD) on 10/16/2006:
5 out of 5 stars

Asthma: Significant Reduction in dependence on Albuterol inhaler. I have very serious steroid dependent asthma. Patrick Mckeown has written two books Asthma Free Naturally and Close Your Mouth which feature the Buteyko Method for breathing. Simple technique of breathing in and out of your nose, and exercises called the control pause response--2 seconds breathe in through nose, 3 seconds breathe out through nose, pinch your nostrils and hold your breath. By how long you can hold your breath, this will tell you how well you are breathing. Try this method. You will breathe better, catch fewer colds and infections.

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