What is Asthma

Asthma

The Buteyko Institute Method of breathing retraining is best known for its role in the management of asthma. The primary aim of the program is to normalise the breathing pattern. This results in a decrease in symptom frequency, and the majority of those that do occur can be overcome by application of the breathing techniques learned in the classes.

What is asthma? Asthma is not a disease; it is a collection of symptoms. Commonly described as tightness in the chest, difficulty getting a satisfying breath, swollen inflamed airways and mucous.

Why do these symptoms occur? Many people who get asthma will recognise these scenarios.

	You are running late for an appointment. You start to feel anxious. Your pulse rate rises. You huff and puff your way to the top of the stairs. You arrive at your destination breathless and tight chested.
	A child's birthday party. A bag of balloons. You look around for ANYONE else who will blow them up for you because you know that if you attempt it you will have asthma in no time.
	You arrive at the doctor's office for an appointment. You are asked to perform three Peak Flows. You blow as hard and fast as you can into the tube. An unpleasant experience. He asks you to repeat the test. This time you start coughing. You repeat the test for the third time. Your chest feels tight; you are breathless and feel exhausted.

Each of the three scenarios outlined above have one thing in common. The breathing pattern changed; the rate of breathing increased. This is called hyperventilation. Put simply - breathing more than the body requires for the activity. When this occurs it causes an imbalance of the levels of individual gases within our lungs and our blood. Principally we breathe out too much carbon dioxide.

Why does it matter if we breathe out too much carbon dioxide? There is an optimum level of carbon dioxide which our body needs for normal functioning. If we have too little within our system the result will be the onset of symptoms.

	Carbon dioxide is a natural smooth muscle dilator or relaxant. When we have too little carbon dioxide our smooth muscle (which is wrapped around the tiny air tubes of our lungs) will go into spasm - experienced as tightness and difficulty breathing out.
	Oxygen is slow to be released from the blood (Bohr Effect and the Oxy-Haemoglobin Dissociation Curve). This will be experienced as breathlessness.
	Mast cells, responsible for part of our immune response become super-sensitive to perceived allergens, releasing large amounts of histamine, producing inflammation.
	Over-breathing dries out the airways, inflaming them and encouraging mucous formation

How can the Buteyko Institute Method of breathing retraining help? The main aim of the BIM is to teach people to normalise their breathing pattern. When breathing rates are normal, the level of carbon dioxide within the body will be normal and the body will function well; smooth muscle around the airways will stay relaxed, oxygen will move more quickly from the blood to all the cells, mast cells will function appropriately and the mucous membranes of the airways will not be inflamed.

On learning the BIM, very quickly participants learn to overcome most asthma symptoms by using the breathing exercises. This enables a reduction in bronchodilator usage (reliever puffers such as Ventolin). Asthma management is improved as fewer symptoms are experienced and therefore less medication is required for optimal control.

Most long term asthma sufferers are aware that one puff of short-acting reliever (such as Ventolin) is no longer as effective to relieve symptoms. Another key outcome of the BIM program is an improved sensitivity to short-acting relievers. After retraining of the breathing with BIM short-acting relievers become once more an effective emergency medication.

Copyright © 2004 Buteyko Solutions Last modified: 12/14/05

Copyright © 2004 Buteyko Solutions
Last modified: 12/14/05