The Internet Proven Effectiveness of Buteyko
Other than the companies offering buteyko, the internet does not provide much evidence of buteyko as an effective treatment for asthma. However, the Buteyko clinics claim that due to Dr. Buteykos original research and theory on buteyko, Buteyko Breathing Techniques are fully endorsed by the Russian government. The clinics also testify that a 90% reduction in Beta Agonist (a commonly prescribed short term reliever of asthma) medication and a 28% reduction in steroids (a commonly prescribed long term treatment for asthma) was proven in clinical trials sponsored by the Australian Association of Asthma Foundations (http://www.buteyko.co.nz).
Also a semi-blinded, randomized study trial comparing the effects of Buteyko breathing techniques with placebo breathing technique was funded by the Australian Association of Asthma Foundations. Conducted in Brisbane, Australia, after a six week period, the Buteyko group decreased beta-agonist use by 90%, average inhaled steroid fell 12.5%, and asthmatic symptoms in the buteyko group decreased by 50%.

The Clinical Research on Buteyko
With the incidence of asthma on the risbuteykoe many patients are in search of a cure. Buteyko breathing techniques offer another alternative to the many sufferers of the chronic condition. However, since asthma acts as a different disease with so many different causes and triggers, finding a cure for all types of asthma is nearly impossible. Also, with improvements in breathing considered very subjective it is hard to achieve accurate and non-biased study on buteyko breathing techniques. Buteyko breathing techniques have gone unresearched by any organization not affiliated with the selling of courses in buteyko. However, in my research of the medical journals I did find these published studies concerning buteyko breathing techniques:

1. An "open trial" of the method in 1995 in Melbourne, Australia, where forty participants with asthma were taught buteyko. At the end of a period of four and a half months, thirty one of the patients answered and these results were found:

-Asthma symptom frequency was: less, 27 patients; usual, 3; greater, 1 (recent pneumonia).

-Ability to overcome attacks : most or all, 15; some, 10; no attacks now, 1; do not use the method, 5.

-Use of nebulised bronchidilators: preworkshop, 6; total reduction, 5; current use only because of recent pneumonia, 1.

-Reduction of bronchiodilator aerosol use: less, 27; total, 12; by 50% or greater, 11.

-Use of corticosteroids: preworkshop, 25; reduced, 14; same dose, 11; no steroid preworkshop and small dose now, 2.

-Twenty-eight percent of patients recommended that the method be taught to all asthmatics; 23 rated it as a better asthma treatment than a conventional medical practice.

Source: Graham T, Stalmatsky A, Drake C. The Medical Journal of Australia, Vol 162, January 2, 1995, pg 53-4

Asthma is a nagging disease which there still is no absolute cure for. With so many sufferers world wide, the buteyko clinics are aware that there offers to cure such an annoying disease are read and considered by a large audience. The language they use over the internet is extremely ambiguous and at times they seem like money making scandals. However, many people claim the treatment worked for them and some data incurs that, in some cases, the techniques can help. Buteyko does not entail any health risks; however, the expensive prices for the classes and videos, make Buteyko a treatment which should be personally well researched before it is practiced.

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