- Resources
- This interview with Dr. Andrey Novozshilov was published
- in the Russian national newspaper "Argumenti i fakti" (Arguments and facts),
- Health Section, 30 January 2003, issue 05(442).
On 27 January 2003 K. P. Buteyko celebrated his 80-th
birthday. How do you breathe?
Many people have a suspicious attitude towards the
theory developed by Buteyko. Meanwhile, this theory, for more than 40 years,
has had many supporters. It helped to many people to get rid of asthma,
hypertension and other problems. The major idea of this theory is that the
main cause of so-called diseases of civilizations is carbon dioxide (CO2)
deficiency in the lungs. This deficiency is caused by hyperventilation of
the lungs or deep breathing.
We all get used to thinking that carbon dioxide, which we breathe out, is not
necessary for the organism. However, it has its role. Doctor Buteyko
suggests normalizing the main function of our organism, the system of
external breathing, using the method of voluntary elimination of deep
breathing. For many people that may look unreal: how is it possible, to
coerce oneself to breathe less?
Today we have a conversation about the Buteyko method with the chief doctor
of the medical centre for Buteyko breathing Andrey Novoshzilov.
Andrey Evgenievich, it follows, that deep breathing is not useful for the
man, but what about physical exercise, during which ventilation of the lungs
is increased?
Ventilation of the lungs is aimed to serve metabolism, which has certain
intensity. Intensity of ventilation of the lungs should coincide with the
needs of metabolism. Activity of metabolism, in different states, is
different. At rest, metabolism is slow; ventilation should be also small. An
athlete, when doing physical exercises, has very high metabolism. CO2
production is very large, ventilation increases automatically. Instead of 5
litres he can breathe up to 100 litres per minute. However, that is not
hyperventilation, that is a reasonable process and it is not pathology. But
when hyperventilation is not connected with physical exercise, when it is
above the needs of metabolism at rest – that is hyperventilation, or
something that Buteyko called “deep breathing”. That can be the cause of
disease.
How to define if ventilation is excessively large?
It is possible using instrumental systems of control, but such methods are
not easy in real life. Buteyko suggested a very simple method – using breath
holding: if after standard, quiet exhalation, one holds the breath, when the
time, in seconds, during which the man can stop breathing, accurately
reflects the level of carbon dioxide. If breath-holding time is equal to 60
seconds that means that the amount of carbon dioxide is correspondent to the
norm.
No breathing for one minute?
Yes, ideally, any person should be able to do that. If breath holding time
is smaller, that says that CO2 level is reduced. How, for example, can
chronic rhinitis appear? Air passages constrict in order to reduce excessive
ventilation and, as a result, to increase the level of carbon dioxide.
Similarly, in the origin of the bronchial asthma is periodically appearing
constriction of bronchi or bronchospasms. Bronchus is a tube with embedded
muscles, which can constrict. When that happens, the bronchus is obstructed,
and the person starts to suffocate. An ability of these muscles to constrict
is ruled precisely by level of carbon dioxide.
Treatment of bronchial asthma using the Buteyko method is based on teaching
the patient to define if ventilation of his lungs is correspondent to normal
parameters. If it is elevated, we decrease ventilation using special
exercises. That allows, during 10 seconds, to increase CO2 level; and, just
in front of us, the spasm or the attack of suffocation starts to disappear.
The same relates to chronic rhinitis. Any man, who suffers from rhinitis,
can try the following exercise. Listen how you breathe, which feelings you
experience (how air moves through your nose, your chest rises and drops).
Now try to decrease the intensity of these feelings, to conceal your
breathing, and to decrease the intensity of the air jet. In 10 seconds the
CO2 levels gets larger.
If I hold my breath for a while, after that I want to breath in with the
full chest…
Of course, there are certain difficulties since we cannot stop breathing.
However, we are not talking about stopping breathing, but about decreasing
the volume of the air stream, judging with your sensitivity to the process
of breathing. One should not jam breathing. The goal is not to eliminate
these feelings but to decrease their intensity…
And to do that constantly?
Until disappearance of the symptoms, which bother you: if your nose is
blocked, do the exercises and, factually, in 1 minute you will feel relief.
You can stop exercising until the nose is blocked again, and you will be
compelled to repeat them. This method, at least, would help you to get rid
of nasal drops. Medical drugs are replaced with breathing exercises.
If a man, during as asthma attack, starts to suffocate, but he is advised
to breathe less!?
Yes, psychologically this is, of course, difficult, and since any attack is
a threat to the life, experiments here are not required. For this reason,
there is no literature about the Buteyko method, so that people would not be
able to experiment. We suggest to practice only under medical supervision.
Without skills one can only intensify the course of the attack. If
restriction of ventilation of the lungs is too intense, there is an
instinctive desire to breathe in. The man will do that and at that moment he
will loose those CO2 remainders, which he had. A doctor should learn a
delicate approach when working with breathing. It should not be done using a
rough attack, while just such an approach was transferred to Australia. They
have now Buteyko Institute and Australian modification of the method
consists of a series of breath holds with a certain interval. In spite of
the fact, that this is psychologically difficult, there are results, CO2
increases and the attack, this or the other way, is eliminated. Meanwhile,
our approach is associated with very delicate restriction of the air stream
basing on individual sensitivity of the person to the process of breathing.
Can it be so, that there is an excess of CO2 in the lungs? Can it appear
as a result of the exercises?
Practice shows that it is difficult even to reach the norm.
What are the consequences of the Buteyko method: the person starts to
breathe shallowly all the time or the complex of exercises is to be done
periodically?
When the carbon dioxide level is increased, we guarantee that an asthmatic
would not get an attack, unless the level drops. However, normal modern
lifestyle gradually causes reduction in the CO2 level.
Why does hyperventilation form, since nobody specially practices deep
breathing and unnatural breathing exercises are not performed?
The main cause is the lack of physical activity, low level of metabolism in
general. We must work out at least 4 hours per day, with heavy perspiration.
Then you would get high level of metabolism. The method should be practiced
until the level of carbon dioxide is stabilized and reached the value when
the attacks are impossible. It is practically impossible to maintain this
state without physical exercise. If a person, due to some reasons, cannot do
physical exercises, he should do the breathing ones. There is nothing wrong
with that, since the exercises are not hard and can be performed practically
in any situation.
Which problems do patients bring to your Clinic?
60% patients have diseases of the respiratory organs. The second place is
for cardiovascular diseases: hypertension and stenocardia. Author’s
certificate and the patent for the Buteyko method include three main
diseases, which give the best results during treatment: bronchial asthma,
hypertension, and stenocardia. In addition, the more severe the disease and
its symptoms, the better the result. When the person feels bad, he will do
everything possible and will learn properly. As soon as there is an
improvement, the interest disappears.
Are there any contraindications for the method?
As we discussed, the goal is to normalize ventilation of the lungs. Which
contraindications can be for the norm?
Even the simplest method has contraindications…
We can recommend the intensive variation. It is quick and effective.
However, there are certain diseases when it should not be used, for example,
in cases of hypertension with acute symptoms (severe headaches, etc.). If
ventilation is significantly reduced during the critical period, then that
will cause a period of elevated blood pressure. In 10-15 minutes the
pressure will be stable. But if you do not want to have this exacerbation,
when the approach should be very delicate. The same is true for myocardial
infarction. Caution in application of the method is based on certain
physiological processes in the heart muscle. However, any doctor, who is
practicing the Buteyko method, knows that.
Is the method universal for all diseases or some exercises are for
asthma, others for hypertension?
The exercises are the same for all diseases. However, there is a factor that
is defined by the form of the disease. In severe cases, we prescribe
cautious types of exercises.
Should the exercises be practiced every day?
That depends on the results, which you are trying to get. It could happen
that a man, for example, in order to unblock his nose, held his breath. The
nose was unblocked and the man abandoned exercises until the next case. If
he wants more stable results, so that not just to eliminate symptoms, but to
prevent the appearance of the disease, when the efficiency of our exercises
can be evaluated by CO2 increase. Measure your CO2 before and after the
exercises. If there is a growth, you can finish.
What is the earliest age for children to practice these exercises?
The youngest patient was one year and eight months old. The child had the
severest form of bronchial asthma, he was using hormones.
How is it possible to explain to such a young child what is required from
him?
We, first, explain everything to his mother or farther. One of them should
complete our course as a usual patient, in order to understand what is
required from the child. The process of treatment is creation of
prophylactic measures.
Do you want to tell that all people, who arrive to you with bronchial
asthma, leave you without it?
If the person really wants so, then yes. Some patients only achieve the
level of elimination of symptoms; others go further. Yuri Kuklachev’s son
had such a severe allergy, especially because of cats and horses, that even
approaching them would cause the state similar to Quince’s oedema. His
family tried various professionals. In our clinic, within half of the year,
it was possible not only to eliminate all symptoms of the disease, but also
to completely get rid of the problem.
Is abandonment of drugs required?
Of course, no. Only with progress. At the beginning – breathing, later –
physical exercises, which will sustain sufficient CO2 level.
Which clinics use the Buteyko method?
According to the Directive of the Health Minister, this method can be used
since 1985 by any doctor. However, in spite of simplicity of the method,
certain skills are necessary. Many doctors practice this method, but it is
often reduced to breath holds. This simplified version does not do any good.
The interview was conducted by Julia Ekareva
Note:
An adult should breathe, at rest, 5 litres of air per minute. CO2 deficiency
is not a trivial problem. Two-fold CO2 drop can cause the death of the
organism. Some schoolboys take several deep breaths and loose their
consciousness. Hence, temporary spasms of blood vessels, leading to the
brain and other organs, are very dangerous.
