“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident” Arthur Schopenhauer
In this article I’ll try to answer the question that is probably asked most of Buteyko Practitioners
Why, if the Buteyko Method is so great, isn’t it more widely accepted and practiced?
Social reasons
By the time we mature, (about the same time as we start acquiring “diseases of civilization” ) we are a creatures of preconceived notions, habits and conveniences. We tend to obey rules, listen to authorities and adhere to standards. This is a mechanism of survival, and is essentially good.
During our lifetime, our beliefs are influenced by the current educational system, professional opinions, authorities, media etc. When certain concepts, either medical, scientific or religious, are well established in the society, institutions are formed which benefit socially and financially from advancing these concepts. If a concept turns out to be wrong, society is inevitably facing a transformation. All radically different ideas disturb our established way of life and require drastic changes. To admit that Buteyko Theory works is to admit that modern medicine is missing a huge chapter, and also has a few redundant ones.
Buteyko’s deep breathing disease theory is a fundamental challenge to orthodox medicine. The medical profession is reluctant to examine the theory seriously. Peter Kolb suggests that the reasons for this include: fear of loss of credibility and respect, and fear of loss of an important area of the health care industry, but the most sinister reason is the influence of the pharmaceutical industry’s dependence on asthma remaining incurable. (Martha Magenta, Asthma is curable –why are people dying? From infoholix.net)
Most doctors genuinely believe what they are taught. They are just doing their job to the best of their knowledge. There are a handful of doctors who are open to trying Buteyko in their practice or referring a patient to a practitioner of the Buteyko Method. However, the majority of doctors are unable to admit that something they were taught, have practiced, have written books on, have taught other to people to — often something they are considered expert in —is wrong or useless. Usually, the more status and authority a doctor has in a western medicine, the more resistant he or she will be to accept something radically different like Buteyko.
Pharmaceutical companies are just doing what successful business should – doing everything they can to expand their market and sales. Unfortunately, this can lead to questionable tactics. It is hopeful to see the government starting to question these tactics.
A Minnesota law that limits gifts from pharmaceutical companies could lead to similar laws in other states, the New York Times reports. Under the law, Minnesota since 2005 has limited gifts from pharmaceutical companies to physicians to a value of $50 annually, and the “effect on drug makers has been profound,” the Times reports. In the year after the limit took effect, the number of visits by pharmaceutical company sales representatives reported by primary care physicians in Minnesota decreased at about twice the rate reported by physicians nationwide, according to ImpactRx (full article http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/85470.php)
The Government is mostly concerned with general public health safety and drug regulation. Naturally, FDA is staffed with the doctors. (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-09-11-fda-hiring_N.htm).
In the United Kingdom, attempts to introduce Buteyko Breathing Technique to Parliament in hope the government would be more proactive with asthma epidemic initiated Debates in the British House of Commons . Despite obvious evidence for Buteyko Method effectiveness, the plea for action was dismissed. The conclusion was that “more research is needed”. (Read a full version of “Asthma is curable –why are people dying?” by UK journalist Martha Magenta.)
Countless foundations and non profit organizations dedicated to asthma, allergy, diabetes and other diseases are pouring millions dollars in grants and donations into research only to find a new drug. Of course, they are closely tied with doctors and pharmaceutical companies too.
Economical reason
There are probably a lot of angry articles and books out there accusing pharmaceutical companies, FDA and doctors of getting rich by putting profits before the needs of their patients. I am not going to elaborate on this as I am sure you’ve read at least one. Most research is sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. These companies have no incentive to invest in research that will find a drug-free cure for asthma. What business would be interested in doing something that would cut into its profit? Breathing therapy is not something that can be patented or profited from, so, who is interested?
Most clinical trials are funded by drug companies for the purpose of proving that their products are safe and effective. The total sales for asthma drug treatments worldwide in 2005 was more than $35 billion. The leading asthma drug companies are GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca. The shareholders of these companies are likely to resist anything that threatens profits. (Martha Magenta, Asthma is curable –why are people dying? From infoholix.net)
Individual reasons
Not many people are asking themselves why our science is so advanced that we are flying spaceships and building particle accelerators, but we cannot cure asthma or diabetes.
We, as patients,
- are secretly hoping that a “wonder drug” either exists or will be found, because drugs are convenient.
- are skeptical of anything new that promises a cure, as maybe we’ve tried and failed before, or we are set in our ways.
- overwhelmed by an era of often contradictory health related information that we don’t have time or capacity to process.
- don’t want to take responsibility for our health (it’s all doctor’s fault…), as responsibility calls for us to play an active role in our healing and likely implies long term commitment to lifestyle changes.
People who are enthusiastically spreading the Buteyko Method are mostly recovered asthmatics. Usually, the sicker a person is , the faster they recover. Why? They are on the end of their rope with drugs and their poor quality of life. They are open minded and willing to put a serious effort into recovery.
While they are recovering, they begin to see the genius behind the Buteyko Method. With the “diseases of civilization”, your body is telling you that you are chronically violating certain rules of its healthy physiology.
The Buteyko Method has been ridiculed, opposed and ignored in Soviet Russia. It was finally accepted by Russian government in 1985. It happened only because the benefits were so obvious and the proves were so overwhelming. Despite the cold reception it has received from the medical authorities in other countries and initial skepticism from the patients, the Buteyko Method spread all across the globe.
America is one of the wealthiest country in the world, but we are also one of the unhealthiest. My hope is that by being open minded toward the Buteyko Method, Americans will give it a fair trial and a chance to grow here. We are a country the rest of the world is looking up to. What we do influences the world.
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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.