Buteyko Breathing Method
What is Buteyko?
A system of asthma education and simple breathing exercises for the treatment of asthma in all adults and children from age 4. The Buteyko method is an add-on therapy for patients with mild to severe persistent asthma who are inadequately controlled by their medication and/or who wish to learn to control their asthma without medication under their doctor’s supervision. The Buteyko Method is currently used successfully for the treatment of asthma, emphysema, allergies, chronic bronchitis, sleep apnea, hyperventilation syndrome, panic attacks, bronchiectasis, the relief of hay fever, chronic sinusitis and other stress-related diseases. The goal of Buteyko is to help asthmatics achieve maximum control of their asthma with the minimum amount of medication.
Important Note:
Buteyko therapy is a simple education program, which does not affect conventional asthma management. Patients are actively encouraged to take medication in accordance with current asthma management practices. Benefits of the treatment manifest initially in a reduction in requirement for bronchodilators and a reduction in symptoms. Reduction in steroids is arranged by the patient’s doctor once the symptoms have disappeared.
How Does Buteyko Work?
People with respiratory or sleep disorders, fatigue, or general breathlessness, overbreathe, 2-3 times more than normal. This hyperventilation means breathing more air than your body needs at a particular time. Examples of hyperventilation include breathing through your mouth whilst driving a car or watching television. Often hyperventilation occurs unconsciously, resulting in irritation, inflammation, and constriction of the airways. Breathing incorrectly will have devastating results on your health in the long term. The Buteyko method corrects this problem. It consists of breathing exercises specially designed to restore normal breathing patterns and principles about exercise, food and sleeping to achieve maximum control and greatly reduce symptoms.
To schedule an appointment with our certified Buteyko practitioner, Hadas Golan, call Otolaryngology at: (617) 638-8124
About Hadas
Hadas Golan, B.Ed. Music, MS/CCC-SLP, is a certified Buteyko practitioner and trainer, a member of the Buteyko Breathing Educators Association (BBEA). She herself was a former asthma sufferer, but after learning the Buteyko method she is now symptoms and medication-free. She offers a supportive approach and tailors the programme to suit each person and meeting one’s needs in learning the Buteyko method. She is a speech pathologist at the Boston Medical Center Voice and Swallowing Center, specializing in care of the professional voice.
