| <Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us> | ||
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For the countless asthma sufferers worldwide what are the options to treat this chronic illness? |
| The Buteyko Clinic Practitioner’s article has been published in August issue of Minnesota Health Care News magazine. | ||
Asthma. Take a shallow breath. |
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| Asthma ( `az-muh) n: a chronic respiratory condition marked by spasms in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing; triggered by hyperreactivity to various stimuli.
More than 16 million adults and 7 million children in the U.S. have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s three times the total reported just 25 years ago and almost one in 10 children. Asthma, a chronic inflammatory airway disease, is among the top 10 emergency department diagnoses for children in the Twin Cities, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Further, one in 10 Minnesota adults report that they have been diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lives. Despite advances in conventional and alternative health care, asthma remains a puzzling disorder. It ranges widely in severity from very mild to life-threatening, can manifest suddenly at any age, go into short or long remission, and come back unexpectedly. Extensive research adds little to the understanding of the causes of asthma or why it is thriving among the developed countries’ population. Bronchodilators, corticosteroids The cornerstone principle of conventional treatment of asthma is to relieve symptoms with bronchodilators and prevent asthma aggravations with corticosteroids. Bronchodilators chemically force constricted airways open for a certain amount of time, while steroids suppress the immune response and fight inflammation. But those powerful remedies come with side effects, and using them daily for years is walking a thin line between benefits and risks. Corticosteroid drugs, especially oral, can cause irreversible immune system damage with prolonged use. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning in February cautioning that long-acting bronchodilators have the potential to exacerbate asthma by masking inflammation, resulting in an increased risk of hospitalization and death. A recent nationwide survey of 2,500 asthma patients 12 and older found that, despite better medications and the increased availability of asthma education, there has been little decline in hospitalizations or ER visits for asthma over the last 10 years and little meaningful improvement in key markers of asthma control – hospitalizations, emergency room visits, unscheduled health care visits, and missed school or work days. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) While a number of non-drug CAM techniques and remedies are suggested to relieve asthma, it can be overwhelming to explore all CAM choices as they usually lack clinical trials and systemized data to reach a solid conclusion as to their effectiveness. But with a cautious approach and choosing therapies whose value has been documented, complementary techniques can prove invaluable for managing asthma. The essential difference between complementary and alternative medicine is that complementary methods are used in addition to conventional treatment, while alternative methods are used instead of established medical practice. Therefore, the first rule of safety is to choose complementary, rather than alternative, methods. Of all non-drug asthma treatments, breathing techniques have been studied at greater depth and show more evidence of effectiveness. The Buteyko Method The Buteyko Method, named by its creator, Russian Professor of Medicine K.P. Buteyko, is based on the notion that asthma originates from the commonly overlooked problem of chronic hyperventilation (breathing at an excessive depth and rate, which leads to an abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood). By correcting a faulty breathing pattern, the theory holds, a patient can significantly reduce or eliminate asthma symptoms. Unlike other breathing techniques, the Buteyko Method is not just a series of breathing exercises but a comprehensive wellness program aimed at correcting dysfunctional breathing and encouraging healthier lifestyle through stress reduction, nutrition, and exercise. Buteyko therapy is completely safe when taught by a qualified practitioner, and program attendees are required to continue taking their medication as prescribed unless their doctor has approved stopping it. The Buteyko Method has been studied extensively in eight clinical trials. All have shown it to be effective. One of the trials, in Brisbane, Australia, showed impressive results of 71 percent fewer symptoms, 90 percent reduction in reliever medication use, and 49 percent reduction in use of steroid preventers after three months. In 2008 the British Thoracic Society in its “British Guideline on the Management of Asthma”, recommended the Buteyko Method to help patients control the symptoms of asthma and reduce bronchodilator use. It is the only complementary therapy endorsed by this body for the treatment of asthma. … read full text of the article here |
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Archive for the ‘Asthma’ Category
Natural asthma treatments revised
Friday, August 13th, 2010
Signs of asthma attack
Friday, July 9th, 2010<Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us >
It could be you, your loved one or a complete stranger, but in any case it is helpful to know if certain signs and symptoms are signaling an upcoming asthma attack or asthma exacerbation. Here are some common signs
• Trouble sleeping and feeling tired in the morning, dark circles under the eyes
• Mood swings, irritability
• Poor appetite, fatigue, decreased physical and social activity
• Headache
• Runny, itchy nose
• Persistent dry or productive (with mucus) cough.
• Breathing difficulties, such as tightness or heaviness in the chest, shortness of breath, wheezing. This can worsen to a feeling of not being able to get enough air
• Posture changes, typically upper body tensing, leaning forward and hunching
• The skin in the chest and neck may sink in with each breath (retraction)
Asthma is often unpredictable, and symptoms can worsen quickly or suddenly, and become life threatening . In case of symptoms like
• Blue lips or fingernails
• Pale, sweaty face
• difficulty talking
• inability to exhale or inhale
• loud wheezing
• feelings of extreme anxiety or panic
• coughing that won’t stop
to get emergency help as soon as possible might save life.
But there are simple steps that can be taken to help to relieve and prevent an asthma attack.
Watch Buteyko Clinic video clip “How to stop asthma attack”. The technique described in the video is for temporary relief of symptoms, which works in most cases. However, an asthmatic patient should always keep his inhaler handy and if the technique described is not bringing relief after a few minutes, use your inhaler and follow all the emergency procedures when necessary.
To prevent asthma attacks, to ensure long term natural asthma management and to reduce medication dependency, take one of the Buteyko courses, such as offered by AsthmaCare, or educate yourself with wonderful, affordable, user- friendly learning materials authored by international Practitioner and bestselling author Patrick McKeown.
Once you learn the Buteyko Method, you will never feel helpless against asthma.
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Natural choices against allergy
Friday, June 11th, 2010<Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us >
While you are working on your breathing and bringing your Control Pause (CP) up, there still might be strong allergy triggers that would bother you up until your CP is in the 40s. If instead, or in addition to pharmaceuticals, you are willing to try natural remedies, there are a few that are more studied and which are likely to work.
Quercetin shows promise in inhibiting the release of histamines, which causes sneezing and other symptoms associated with allergies and asthma. Abundant in grapefruit, onions, apples and black tea, it is also available as a supplement. It is present in red wines, however, red wines typically contain sulfates, which by itself might cause allergies for some people.
Butterbur (Petasites officinalis) contains a substance called petasine, which can be as effective as antihistamines in relieving allergy symptoms – without drowsiness. In another recent study an extract of Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) inhibited the inflammation that brings about seasonal allergies. Stinging nettle contains compounds that enhance the body’s resistance to pollen and molds.
Science also shows that bupleurum and chrysanthemum herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, help fight allergies. Buplerum stimulates the production of corticosteroids, which relieve inflammation and strengthen the lungs. Other hay fever remedies to consider include bromelain, ginkgo, goldenseal, licorice and milk thistle. Locally produced raw honey may also be helpful.
Consuming a wide variety of fruit and vegetables can help guard against respiratory distress.
Supplements with probiotics are also highly recommended to asthma and allergy sufferers, not only for optimizing digestion, but also for strengthening the immune system.
Using nasal saline rinses is an effective approach to washing out pollen and decreasing post nasal drip.
When choosing which supplements to buy, consider quality of preparation and preservative free formula.
And finally, while supplements and rinses might be a good temporary help, remember, your body will be much more resistant to allergy triggers once your breathing is normalized. So whatever remedies you choose, remember that breathing retraining will address the root of your problem and don’t neglect your daily Buteyko practice!
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Children with persistent asthma are more at risk to develop COPD
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010<Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us >
May 17, 2010 — Children who suffer from severe, persistent asthma are nearly 32 times more likely to develop chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) in adulthood, according to a study spanning nearly half a century.
That conclusion is based on data from the Melbourne Asthma Study, which includes children born in 1957 who were recruited at age 7 and tracked until their 50th birthdays. At the time they were recruited, the children were placed into four groups: those who did not experience wheezing or asthma symptoms, those who experienced occasional asthma symptoms such as wheezing associated with a viral respiratory infection, those who had persistent asthma not associated with a viral respiratory infection, and those who had severe, persistent asthma.
The objective was to determine which children developed COPD as adults. At age 50, 197 of the surviving participants answered a detailed questionnaire and underwent lung function testing. COPD was identified in 28 of the participants and was found to be more common among males. There was a direct correlation between the severity of the asthma as a child and the incidence of COPD as an adult. (source: WebMD, Childhood Asthma Linked to Risk of COPD)
While parents of asthmatic children are trying to do their best to follow the doctor’s prescribed medication regimen and hope that their child will eventually outgrow asthma, years of daily drug use, frequent respiratory infections and limited physical activity takes a toll on children with persistent asthma.
Moreover, a dangerous trend among many trying-to-please doctors and anxious parents is that they encourage a child to overuse fast-acting relievers, nebulizers and peak flow meters. Relievers are meant to be nothing more than as-needed, emergency medication for temporary relief of symptoms. Instead, they are often used either as a preventative measure or at the slightest sign that a child is unwell.
All that dramatically increases an asthmatic child’s hyperventilation, and the vicious circle is started. Together with limited sports participation, the emotional trauma of dealing with a chronic health condition, as well as unhealthy food and school stresses, those influences cause over-breathing to reach a critical point, and a child becomes even more prone to asthma symptoms and attacks.
Struggling with persistent airway inflammation, the side effects of long-term drug use and frequent bacterial and fungal infections, a young body becomes susceptible to COPD development later in life.
If you are a parent who thinks that your child’s asthma is well managed with medication, supplements and strained athletic participation, I urge you to think about a better way to address the root of the problem. Your child’s body is weak not because it is deficient in bronchodilators, and strained physical activity made possible by extra doses of albuterol is not going to significantly improve your child’s health. The simple truth is – your child’s well-being is stressed by a modern lifestyle, which encourages the development of over-breathing which is hazardous to our health. Once a faulty breathing pattern is corrected and lifestyle adjustments are made, you child’s body won’t have a reason to throw airway constriction and inflammation as defense against over-breathing. Therefore, asthma will subside on its own.
Pediatric asthma is a scary, life-threatening condition, and as a parent myself, I understand the difficult position parents of asthmatic children are in. It is crucial to follow prescribed preventative medication regimens and closely monitor your child’s asthma. But, by giving the Buteyko Breathing Technique a persistent effort, similar, if not better, results could be achieved with much less medication and therefore, less future health risks.
Lung disease, including COPD, is a number three killer in America and causes one in seven deaths in this country each year. The Buteyko Method could be a life saver for your child and could give you peace of mind that you, as a parent, deserve.
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Best Asthma Diet
Saturday, May 29th, 2010<Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us >
May 17, 2010 — People who have asthma should avoid heavy, high-fat meals because it can inflame their airways, a new study says. Such meals appear to inhibit relief provided by the common asthma medication Ventolin, generically known as albuterol, Australian researchers report.
They recruited 40 people with asthma as participants in the study. Some received a high-fat, high-calorie meal of fast food hamburgers and hash browns containing about 1,000 calories, 52% of which was fat; others ate a low-fat, low-calorie meal of reduced fat yogurt, containing about 200 calories and 13% fat.
The scientists collected sputum samples before patients ate and again four hours later after they had eaten, and analyzed the samples for inflammatory markers. People who had eaten the high-fat meal had reduced response to the bronchodilators, compared to people who had eaten fewer calories and less fat.
“This is the first study to show that a high-fat meal increases airway inflammation, so this is a very important finding,” says study author Leslie Wood, PhD, a research fellow at the University of Newcastle in Australia. “The high-fat meal impaired the asthmatic response to albuterol. In subjects who had consumed a high-fat meal, the post-albuterol improvement in lung function at three and four hours was suppressed.” (source: WebMD, Asthma Patients: Danger Lurks in Fatty Meals)
The nutrition aspect of asthma management is always discussed at our AsthmaCare workshops. Not surprisingly, what the recent study now finds was concluded over 50 years ago by professor Buteyko’s research.
Although the Buteyko Method is primarily a breathing retraining therapy, for quicker recovery and long-term success, every effort should be made to minimize factors that promote over-breathing. Poor diet is, indeed, one of those factors.
So what is the best diet for asthmatics?
According to Professor Buteyko, foods that increase one’s breathing most include animal protein, saturated fat, dairy, chocolate, excess caffeine and alcohol, and foods you are allergic to. Milk, shellfish, nuts and wheat are among the most common foods that cause allergies.
But the very first commandment of Buteyko nutrition is – Do not overeat. Excess food puts enormous burden on not only the digestive system, but on the whole body. Our digestive system’s struggle is reflected in increased breathing volume, which in turn would easily trigger asthma or allergy symptoms. Notice how your breathing rate goes up after consuming big fatty meals. Some people experience frequent sighs, yawns or inability to take a deep breath – common signs of distressed breathing. People with a low Control Pause should be especially careful not to overeat, to not eat 2-3 hours before bed and to make wiser food choices overall.
For healthy breathing, a ratio of 80% alkalizing -20% acidifying foods should be maintained. Alkalizing foods are mostly fresh fruit and vegetables, so eat plenty!
A bit of good news is that the higher your Control Pause, the more tolerant you will become to different food groups, even less healthy ones. With higher CP, digestion optimizes and food allergies ease, so an occasional indulgent dinner won’t have such profound affect on a person with an over 40 second CP as it would on a person with a very low CP. But, even better news is that a person with an over 40 second CP would typically naturally gravitate toward healthier, raw, vegetarian, unprocessed food choices.
To learn more about improving your asthma naturally and permanently, visit our website.
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Natural asthma treatment provides safer relief
Friday, May 7th, 2010<Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us >
Despite advances in conventional and alternative health care, better medications and the increased availability of asthma education, there has been little decline in hospitalizations , ER visits, unscheduled health care visits, and missed school or work days because of asthma over the last 10 years, according to the comprehensive Asthma Insight and Management (AIM) nationwide survey .
While asthma and other chronic lung conditions are a huge burden on our health care system, large doses of asthma medications over time becomes a heavy burden on your body. For moderate to severe asthmatics, it is often a difficult choice between continuous use of medication and risking side effects, or neglecting the medication and risking debilitating symptoms.
There have not been asthma-remedy breakthroughs in decades. Bronchodilators, mostly of the Beta Agonist drug class, and corticosteroids, both inhaled and oral, remain the gold standard of asthma treatment. However, LABA (Long-Acting Beta Agonists) and combination drug types, that include LABA, are increasingly over-evaluated by the FDA for their safety. Currently, FDA labels LABA-containing medications as contraindicated without simultaneous use of a corticosteroids. Corticosteroid drugs, especially oral, can cause irreversible immune system damage with prolonged use.
The other drug group, sometimes referred to as add-ons, include allergy-targeting medications such as leukotriene and Immunoglobulin E (IgE) inhibitors. They are prescribed in hopes that by keeping allergy symptoms at bay, the medications would prevent disease flare-ups in patients with allergy-induced, persistent asthma. Both types of medications should be used continuously; they do not work for everyone and can be very costly (IgE inhibitor injections run up to $30,000 per year).
A very recent development is Bronchial Thermoplasty, which is a procedure rather than drug, and is approved by the FDA for severe asthmatics whose medications aren’t providing enough relief. Bronchial Thermoplasty is a drastic, highly-invasive treatment; its long-term safety has not been established. Because of the bronchoscopy involved in treatment, side effects might include asthma attacks, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, partially collapsed lungs, coughing up blood, anxiety, headaches, and nausea.
Meanwhile, thousands of asthmatics worldwide have been helped with a highly effective drug free technique called the Buteyko Method. While the Bronchial Thermoplasty trial showed a 32% reduction in asthma attacks, an 84% reduction in emergency room visits, a 73% reduction in hospitalizations, the Butyeko trials on average showed a 75% reduction in asthma symptoms, a 90% decrease in reliever-use, and a 49% decrease in preventer medications (and therefore no need for emergency room visits or hospitalizations). And the Buteyko Therapy is virtually a no-cost, no side effects technique.
If you are living with asthma and willing to invest a little time and discipline into the Buteyko Method, you won’t be disappointed. According to people who have used the Butyeko Technique, the results include the following:
• effective asthma control
• better quality of life
• uninterrupted sleep
• higher energy level
• improved physical performance
• improved mental and emotional health
• a significantly shortened medication list
Many parents would appreciate a peace of mind they could have when their asthmatic child is out of their supervision. It is as good as it gets with natural asthma control.
The Buteyko Breathing Method has been approved as a treatment for asthma by the British Thoracic Society & Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. It has been mentioned as an effective alternative asthma treatment by the Mayo Clinic. Finally, last year the US Department of Health and Human Services accepted The Buteyko breathing Technique for further review as part of the project, which assesses the effectiveness of most clinically and cost effective means of treating a targeted list of chronic health conditions.
Unlike other breathing techniques, the Buteyko Method is not just a series of breathing exercises, but a comprehensive wellness program aimed at correcting dysfunctional breathing and encouraging a healthier lifestyle through stress reduction, nutrition, and exercise.
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Response from the U.S. Government re. Buteyko
Saturday, May 1st, 2010<Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us >
Just sharing great news!
Last July a fellow Buteyko Educator in CA Brenda Stimpson wrote a letter to Kathleen Sibelius, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in response to a project the U.S Government is undertaking in regards to assessing the comparative effectiveness of various healthcare modalities for certain chronic conditions. The Obama Administration has allocated resources to try to ascertain what are the most clinically and cost effective means of treating a targeted list of chronic health conditions. In her letter Brenda requested that The Secretary consider the Buteyko Breathing Method when comparing ways of managing asthma. She has heard back from the group that is coordinating this project and they have agreed to put the Buteyko Breathing method forward for further review. The response is below.
Document Completion Date: 2-5-10
1
Results of Topic Selection Process & Next Steps
_ Buteyko breathing will go forward for refinement as a systematic review. The scope of this topic, including populations, interventions, comparators, and outcomes, will be further developed in the refinement phase.
_ When key questions have been drafted, they will be posted on the AHRQ Web site and open for public comment. To sign up for notification when this and other Effective Health Care (EHC) Program topics are posted for public comment, please go to http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/join-theemail-list1/.
Nominator: Organization
Nomination
Summary:
The nominator is interested in the effectiveness of the Buteyko breathing method for reducing bronchodilator and inhaled steroid use and improving the health status of adults and children with asthma.
Staff-Generated PICO
Population(s): All individuals with asthma over the age of 5
Intervention(s): Buteyko breathing
Comparator(s): Treatment as usual (bronchodilators and inhaled steroids)
Outcome(s): Improvement or elimination of asthma symptoms (cough, wheeze, dyspnea); reduction or elimination of bronchodilator and inhaled steroid use in the short medium term; reduction or elimination of inhaled and oral steroid use in the medium or long term; and improved health status.
Key Questions
from Nominator:
1. For adults and children with asthma, what is the effectiveness of the Buteyko breathing method on reducing bronchodilator and inhaled steroid use and improving health status?
Considerations
_ The topic meets all EHC Program selection criteria. (For more information, see
http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/submit-a-suggestion-for-research/how-are-researchtopics-
chosen/.)
Buteyko Breathing
Nomination Summary Document
Topic Number(s): 0205
Document Completion Date: 2-5-10
2
_ Medical treatment for asthma consists of daily controller medications to prevent asthma exacerbations and rescue medications as needed to relieve acute symptoms. There is no known cure for asthma; therefore, all treatments are directed toward symptom reduction.
_ Buteyko breathing represents a method of self care that may be of interest to clinicians, patients, and parents of children with asthma as an adjunct to standard therapies. The Buteyko breathing method is intended to promote breathing patterns that can help maintain the correct ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the bloodstream. Although uncommon in the US, it is sometimes used as a treatment strategy outside of the US. Several randomized controlled trials are available that assess the effectiveness of Buteyko and other breathing techniques on medication use and symptom control; therefore, a review at this time may be of value.
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Another Buteyko clinical study
Friday, March 26th, 2010B58 PULMONARY REHABILITATION / Thematic Poster / Monday, May 18/8:15 AM−4:00 PM / Area J (Sails Pavilion, Upper Level) San Diego Convention Center
Buteyko Breathing Technique Reduces Hyperventilation−Induced Hypocaponea and Dyspnoea after Exercise in Asthma.
G. Austin, DipPhys, C. Brown, BSc, T. Watson, PhD, I. Chakravorty, PhD
PG Med Sch, Lister Hospital, Stevenage, Herts, United Kingdom and
Physio Sch, U Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts, United Kingdom.
Introduction
In Asthma, hyperventilation during and after exercise can increase the work of breathing and dyspnoea delaying recovery and leading to a worsening of asthma control. The Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT) is gaining support as a complementary therapy to improve asthma control. Although the original hypothesis suggested that the BBT works by increasing carbon−dioxide (CO2) levels, research to date is yet to demonstrate this phenomenon.
Study Design
We conducted a randomised, controlled trial exploring a 5−week course of BBT on post−exercise end−tidal CO2 (EtCO2) and
dyspnoea versus conventional therapy. Subjects underwent treadmill exercise testing to a symptom−limited maximum at
baseline, 1 &6 weeks.
Results
Of 32 subjects enrolled, 20(15 female) completed the study (9 BBT vs 11 controls). Mean(SD) age was 48(15)yrs, BMI
28(5.6)kgm−2, FEV1 89 (24.7)%pred. EtCO2 (mmHg) and Borg Breathlessness score at 5min post−exercise were significantly improved with BBT, *p <0.05 (Repeated meas gen linear model).
Conclusion
Our study demonstrated the hypothesised physiology of BBT, improving hyperventilation induced hypocapnoea and breathlessness, following maximal exercise. By teaching patients to reduce hypernoea of breathing (the rate &depth), BBT may reduce asthma symptoms and improve exercise tolerance and control.
to see full abstract click here A3409
This abstract is funded by: Departmental funds.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med 179;2009:A3409
Internet address: www.atsjournals.org Online Abstracts Issue
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.
What sports are best for asthma?
Sunday, March 7th, 2010<Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us >
The question really should be What sports are best for MY asthma?, or What sports are best for the current state of my respiratory health?
Depending on your breath control physical activity can be highly beneficial, have no beneficial effect or it can be harmful. So if you ask Is swimming, running etc good for me , the answer is it could be good for you if you know when and how to perform physical activity to get maximum health benefits and not to exacerbate your health condition.
Aerobic type exercise is a good way to quickly build up Carbon Dioxide thus it is very beneficial from the Buteyko point of view. However, if you are a moderate to severe asthmatic with below 20 sec CP, it might be difficult for you to keep up nasal breathing during such exercises (a strict rule of Buteyko). And breathing through your mouth will likely bring on your asthma symptoms and won’t be helpful for your overall health improvement goals.
If you are using a bronchodilator every time before aerobic exercise or regularly have symptoms, you are not ready to participate in such intense exercise. Moderate to severe asthmatics don’t generally have enough Carbon Dioxide to get past the beginning of aerobic exercises stage where the breathing deepens significantly but their CO2 level is so low that any further “leak” will bring on the body’s defense mechanism – airway spasm. Hence exercise induced asthma that usually strikes shortly after the beginning of the routine.
The solution is to improve your breathing with the Buteyko Method to the point where you are able to sustain such physical activity without asthma symptoms and need for bronchodilators. While your CP is moving up your physical activities should be adjusted according to your respiratory health. A Buteyko Practitioner will help you with detailed recommendations for your particular level.
Generally speaking if your (or your child’s) CP is less than 35 sec avoid following activities
- Robust or prolonged intensive effort sports like soccer, high-skill gymnastics, track and field, and basketball
- Cold environment sports such as ice skating, ice hockey, snow skiing
- Professional sports involvement with exhausting routines, extended training hours etc
- Sports that involves allergens you are sensitive to (for some it could be swimming in the pools, horseback riding, golf)
Consider gentler activities such as
- baseball/softball
- golf
- martial arts
- fencing
- volleyball
- horseback riding
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Why are elite athletes prone to asthma?
Saturday, February 20th, 2010| <Like this article? Visit our website www.asthmacare.us> |
The Winter Olympics continue in Vancouver, Canada, and I just came across the New York Times article “Why Do So Many Winter Olympians Have Asthma?” by GRETCHEN REYNOLDS.
Exercise-induced asthma has been diagnosed in as many as half of all elite cross-country skiers and almost as many world-class ice skaters and hockey players. It’s far more common in winter athletes than in those who compete in the summer, although nearly 17 percent of Olympic-level distance runners have been given the same diagnosis.
Wondering why this might be, the author looks to doctors and researchers for the answers. First they suggest that:
Exercise-induced asthma is not quite the same condition as asthma. According to Dr. Christopher Randolph, a clinical professor at Yale University (Center for Allergy, Asthma and Immunology), the “preferred term” in the scientific community for exercise-induced asthma is exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, or E.I.B. “It’s a reversible, obstructive airway disease” that typically begins about five minutes after you stop exercising — particularly if your exercise was intense, “at between 85 and 95 percent of maximum heart rate,” Dr. Randolph says.
The first suggestion is that cooling and drying of the airways contribute to the development of exercise-related asthma symptoms. And there is a genetic factor, but
… pinpointing genetic susceptibilities to E.I.B. doesn’t answer the question of why it strikes so disproportionately among the world’s best athletes, especially those in winter sports.
And finally,
This theory posits that E.I.B. is, in some fashion, a sports injury. “What we think is happening,” Dr. Randolph says, is that elite endurance athletes, especially those training more than 20 hours a week, actually “injure their airways” by breathing so much and so hard. “They take in up to 200 liters of air per minute,” he says, in comparison to perhaps five or six liters per minute at rest, all of which must be humidified.
At the end of the article, I was pleased to read that in addition to their advice about visiting a doctor and drug treatments, there were a couple of simple and sound recommendations such as Breathe through your nose and Warm up for at least 5 to 15 minutes.
While doctors and researchers look for answers, professional and amateur athletes can find them through the principals and practice of the Buteyko Breathing Method. Exercise-induced asthma (or EIA) causes breathing difficulty usually 5-20 minutes after starting intense physical activity, or shortly after stopping the activity. Yes, there is always a genetic factor, and yes, EIA occurs more easily in cold, dry environments, therefore, drying and cooling of the airways plays a role.
But the core reason is that during certain points of sports activities, the athlete’s lungs are ventilated more than their metabolism requires. The frequent large breaths in and out results in loss of CO2, which is not compensated properly by CO2 production due to the increased physical activity. As a result, the defense mechanism (airway constriction) activates. If you recall from the article, doctor Randolph said They take in up to 200 liters of air per minute (as opposed to 4-6 liters per minute at rest). And here lies the answer as to why EIA strikes shortly after starting intense physical activity or shortly after stopping the activity. That’s when the balance between CO2 production and ventilation is most out of proportion.
There is an easy solution to this problem. One of AsthmaCare students, a basketball player, writes:
I have a significant improvement with Exercise-Induced Asthma. I played a basketball game early on after starting the Buteyko Course and found that using the need to mouth breathe as a guideline to activity level, I had a great game. I recovered much quicker and could play at a satisfactory level. I am very pleased and motivated to continue bringing up my CP.
Another student who took a course just for wellbeing and physical endurance said:
When I exercise at the gym now, I am watching people mouth breathing, huffing and puffing through the same intensity routine I do with nasal breathing. I exercise to greater lengths with less effort, and I feel energized, not exhausted, after that.
By following the Buteyko Course recommendations you will be able to advance your fitness level and avoid breathlessness, wheezing and coughing during sports participation as well as fatigue after sports activities.
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Buteyko Clinic USA offers unique breathing rehabilitation programs that result in long term drug free control over asthma, allergies, COPD, rhinitis, chronic cough, snoring, sleep apnea, anxiety, panic, chronic hyperventilation syndrome and other chronic conditions. Contact us today for a free consultation.