Buteyko (pronounced Bu-tay-ko) is used as a treatment for many conditions, including: Asthma, Rhinitis, Panic Attacks, Bronchitis, Sinusitis, COPD, Hyperventilation and many others.

It was developed in Russia in the 1950s by a Russian doctor called Konstantin Buteyko, from whom the technique gets its name. In 1981 the Russian authorities officially recognised the method as beneficial and approved it for use as a treatment for asthma throughout the former Soviet Union. Very few practitioners exist in the west, but numbers are growing.

Word of the technique eventually spread to western countries such as Australia and New Zealand where practitioners have already built up 10-15 years experience of using the method. The results of three scientific trials in the west have shown that asthma sufferers using the Buteyko system were able to significantly reduce their need for reliever inhalers.

Buteyko depends almost entirely on your own commitment to make yourself well. Like so many other areas of life what you get out of Buteyko is related to what you are prepared to put in.

Buteyko practitioners work as teachers, guiding you through learning the breathing exercises and advising you on how best to manage your condition. However, without the dedication to practise by yourself you are much less likely to see improvements in your health. The good news is that by following the exercise programme the majority of people will be noticing a significant improvement in their condition within a couple of weeks. Weekly sessions for 5 weeks are advised, although fewer for some patients.

The breathing techniques themselves are not physically demanding. In fact the majority of the programme is carried out sitting comfortably in a chair. However it is usual for practitioners to focus on physical fitness as well and encourage their clients to take some form of regular daily exercise.

Most people with asthma recognise that stress and emotion can play a part in bringing on an attack and therefore learning to relax forms an important part of Buteyko training.

As a result of learning Buteyko you may find that you can:

Sleep better, Reduce medication (After consulting your GP), Increase exercise, Snore less, Breathe more easily, Control panic attacks, Stop persistent coughs.

Articles about the Buteyko technique have recently featured on Richard and Judy, in The Sunday Telegraph, and Woman's Weekly.

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Practitioner
Suzanne Cooper