Breathing Techniques Ease Asthma
June 5th 2006
Breathing exercises can successfully help people with mild asthma, researchers reported today. 
A new study found that patients who undertook breathing techniques massively reduced their need to use inhalers to relieve asthma symptoms.
They were also able to halve the doses of preventative treatment they took by inhaler.
Some specific breathing techniques have been developed, such as the Buteyko method, which proponents say can help relieve asthma.
The new study, published in the journal Thorax, found the technique did not make a difference but doing breathing exercises did.
Some 57 adults were asked to try one of two techniques, one involving shallow breathing through the nose and slow exhaling, the second using relaxation and upper body exercises.
Researcher Professor Christine Jenkins, of the the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, writes: "Breathing techniques may be useful in the management of patients with mild asthma symptoms who use a reliever frequently, but there is no evidence to favour shallow nasal breathing over non-specific upper body exercises."
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