HOW DOES IT WORK?

THE BUTEYKO INSTITUTE METHOD  IS A SYSTEM OF BREATHING RETRAINING WHICH DELIVERS SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA, SLEEP APNOEA, SNORING AND OTHER BREATHING-RELATED CONDITIONS. IT IS BASED ON THE WORK OF PROFESSOR KP BUTEYKO FROM RUSSIA, AND IS TAUGHT BY  PRACTITIONERS ACCREDITED BY THE BUTEYKO INSTITUTE OF BREATHING AND HEALTH. THE SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF THE METHOD ARE THAT IT IS:

• EFFECTIVE – CLINICALLY SHOWN TO SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE ASTHMA SYMPTOMS AND REDUCE THE NEED FOR ASTHMA MEDICATIONS (RESULTS PUBLISHED IN MJA DEC. 1998, NZMJ DEC. 2003, THORAX DEC. 2003)
• SAFE - THE BIBH FOLLOWS INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE MEDICATION GUIDELINES
• SCIENTIFICALLY BASED - BASED ON THE NORMALISATION OF BREATHING, THE BOHR EFFECT & THE STANDARD MEDICAL PRINCIPLES OF RESPIRATION.
  

WHAT OUTCOMES CAN I EXPECT?

• SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN/OR ELIMINATION OF THE NEED FOR ASTHMA RELIEVER AND PREVENTER MEDICATIONS. (ANY REDUCTION IN PREVENTER MEDICATION IS DONE IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CLIENT’S MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.)
• SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN/OR ELIMINATION OF ASTHMA SYMPTOMS AND ATTACKS.
  
• DECREASED RELIANCE ON/OR ELIMINATION OF THE NEED FOR SLEEP APNOEA APPLIANCES SUCH AS CPAP MACHINES AND MANDIBULAR ADVANCEMENT SPLINTS.  THIS IS DONE IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CLIENT’S MEDICAL PRACTITIONER AND/OR SPECIALIST.
•  SYMPTOMATIC RELIEF OF OTHER RESPIRATORY DISORDERS SUCH AS EMPHYSEMA, BRONCHIECTASIS AND COPD.
• INCREASED STAMINA AND ENERGY LEVELS, BETTER WORK PERFORMANCE, IMPROVED SLEEP, AND BETTER MANAGEMENT OF THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS, EASIER EXERCISE AND RECOVERY, WITH LESS MUSCLE SORENESS, CRAMPING   AND DEHYDRATION, IMPROVED ABILITY TO REACH AND SUSTAIN NOTES WHEN SINGING.
• IN CHILDREN, LESS DENTAL AND ORTHODONTIC PROBLEMS. IN ADULTS, LESS TOOTH DECAY.

HOW DO I LEARN THE BUTEYKO INSTITUTE METHOD?

• AT YOUR INITIAL CONSULTATION, YOU WILL BE ADVISED AS TO WHETHER BREATHING RETRAINING IS RECOMMENDED FOR YOU. OPTIONS INCLUDE INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS OR SMALL GROUP COURSES.
• A SMALL GROUP  COURSE CONSISTS OF FIVE 2-HOUR CLASSES, USUALLY OVER 5 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. THE COURSE PRICE INCLUDES ALL  FOLLOW-UP  REQUIRED IN THE FIRST 3 MONTHS.
• THE COURSE ALSO INCLUDES SIMPLE BUT VERY SIGNIFICANT SUPPORTING EDUCATION AND LIFESTYLE GUIDELINES E.G. THE BASICS OF HEALTHY BREATHING, GUIDELINES FOR SLEEPING, DIET AND EXERCISE, MANAGING TRIGGERS, COLDS AND FLU. THERE ARE SPECIAL EXERCISES FOR MANAGING PANIC AND ANXIETY.
• CLIENTS ARE TAUGHT HOW TO IDENTIFY  INCORRECT  BREATHING HABITS AND TO RETRAIN THEIR BREATHING TO ENABLE THEM TO BREATHE CORRECTLY WHEN SLEEPING, EXERCISING, SPEAKING, EATING, AND PERFORMING ALL DAILY ACTIVITIES.  MANY PEOPLE NOTICE SOME IMPROVEMENT WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS. 
•  “HOMEWORK” IS SET FROM DAY 1.
•  AN INDIVIDUALISED  HOME TRAINING PROGRAM IS SET TO FOLLOW FOR AT LEAST 4 WEEKS. THIS INCLUDES BREATHING EXERCISES, WHICH TAKE A MINIMUM OF JUST OVER 1 HOUR PER DAY IN TOTAL, SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
•  FOR FULL RESULTS, BREATHING EXERCISES MAY NEED TO BE DONE FOR LONGER THAN 4 WEEKS. 
•  PARTICIPANTS NEED TO BE MOTIVATED TO PERSIST WITH THE BREATHING EXERCISES AND TO APPLY WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED TO CORRECT THEIR BREATHING HABITS DURING ALL ACTIVITIES.
  

IF you want to  learn more about the Buteyko Institute of Breathing and Health, please click on www.buteyko.info