What will my Doctor Think?
In May 2008 the updated British Guidelines for the Management of Asthma endorsed the Buteyko technique for the control of asthma symptoms, so that GPs and asthma nurses can now recommend it. The new guidelines grade the research on Buteyko as a 'B' classification - indicating that there are high quality clinical trials supporting the efficacy of the technique in reducing both asthma symptoms and bronchodilator usage.
At the moment few doctors in the UK have much experience of the Buteyko method. However, qualified Buteyko teachers emphasise that the technique is designed to be practised alongside medical treatment rather than as an alternative.
The aim of Buteyko is to give people another option for managing their condition so that they feel healthier and experience fewer symptoms. Few doctors or nurses would argue with this principle.