Breathing technique helps asthmatics

Champion rower Darnelle Timbs credits a controversial Russian breathing technique with overcoming her asthma.

An international competitor, the 22-year-old from Cambridge started suffering breathing difficulties that threatened her health and performance four years ago.

It came on during sprints on the water and on a rowing machine - "short sharp stuff, all the real extreme work" - but only sporadically.

"At its worst once in Christchurch, we were doing 500m sprints and I stopped breathing. That's when I realised how bad it was. It was a pretty terrifying experience."

She was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma, prescribed a reliever puffer and later one containing preventive corticosteroid medicine, but they failed to deal with the problem satisfactorily.

Then last November she took a short course to learn a new way of breathing, and she has not used a puffer since. It is called the Buteyko technique.

"It's changed the way I breathe," said Miss Timbs. "I still get breathing difficulties, but I can control it. Now I am more aware I can stop the attack from the onset. I was breathing too much. Buteyko is about learning not to hyperventilate."

She decided to speak out after debate following Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia's saying she had become virtually asthma-free after learning Buteyko.

Several clinical trials, including one in Gisborne, have found Buteyko can help asthmatics reduce the volume of drugs they inhale.

The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation questions the theory underlying Buteyko, but concludes it does not appear unsafe.

Asthma New Zealand's medical director, Dr Allen Liang, said Buteyko was an effective way of controlling hyperventilation, but this was separate from asthma.

"In some asthmatics - those with hyperventilation - they may find that the Buteyko technique is of some use, but to claim it treats asthma, there is no scientific evidence whatsoever."

He slammed the "horrendous" price of the course - one practitioner charges $480. Dr Liang has referred some patients to physiotherapists who charged only a third of that to teach breathing control.

He also questioned Buteyko practitioners' skills and methods. "Unfortunately, without consulting the doctors, they tell people to reduce or stop their medications, and we have quite a few of our patients that actually end up in trouble without supervision."

Auckland Buteyko practitioner Glenn White rejected these assertions. A former geologist, he said the training, which took nine months, was more than adequate.

Practitioners were taught - and he practised this - to work with clients to make reducing their reliever medication their first goal.

Buteyko breathing

* Used to control hyperventilation.

* Costs $480 to learn, at one Auckland practitioner.

* Buteyko's theory is that asthma is caused by hyperventilation reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the lungs.

* Two medically based asthma groups question this.

* Around one in six people have asthma in New Zealand.