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History of the Buteyko Method

The Buteyko Method is based on the work of Russian physiologist Professor Konstantin Pavolvich Buteyko who pioneered the radical method in the 1950's.  Buteyko had enrolled at the First Medical Institute in Moscow and in his third year was given practical medical assignments, which involved monitoring patients' breathing. What he noticed was that prior to death there was a considerable and uniformed deepening in breathing. By recording these increases, he found that he was able to diagnose how many hours or days the patient had left before he/she died. It was these studies which led to Buteyko's future interest.

In 1952 after graduating from the Institute with honours, Buteyko continued his experiments independently. It occurred to him that certain diseases might develop as a result of over-breathing. He himself had suffered from hypertension for some time and had often pondered its causes. By measuring his carbon dioxide (CO2) levels (it was known that over-breathing lowered CO2 levels in the body), Buteyko discovered that his body's CO2 level was lower than recommended. If this was caused by over-breathing, he theorised that by correcting his breathing he would be able to cure the disorder.

He immediately began experimenting on himself. Soon he trained himself to breathe in a more shallow fashion and that by reducing his breathing some symptoms, such as headaches and rapid heartbeat, also reduced. When he increased the depth of his breathing the symptoms returned. Buteyko concluded that he had discovered the reason for his disease and before long he had healed himself completely.

He then set out to devise a programme by which a patient's breathing could be quickly and effectively measured and then if need be reconditioned.

Buteyko checked his theory on patients. He measured the breathing patterns of sufferers of asthma and other breathing disorders and discovered that they too were over-breathing. Once again by correcting these patients' breathing to an acceptable level, Buteyko was able to normalise their CO2 shortfall and their attacks stopped immediately. Then by asking them to return to their previous breathing patterns their attacks resumed.

It was clear in his mind that he had stumbled across a very important global discovery and that medical know-how was upside down. However, it was not until 1980 that the Russian government finally endorsed his findings and introduced the Buteyko Method as a mainstream treatment for asthma in their health system.

The Buteyko Method was first introduced to the west in the early 1990's by Alexander Stalmatski, who had been trained by Professor Buteyko in the technique. This was after an Australian businessman was hospitalised during a business trip to Russia. While in hospital, he was taught the Buteyko Method, which dramatically improved his condition. Convinced that there was a market for the Buteyko Method in Australia, he arranged for Stalmatski to teach courses in Australia.

The Buteyko Method is now being used increasingly throughout the western world, particularly in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. It has been estimated that more than 1,000,000 people have learned and applied the therapy in the countries making up the former Soviet Union, some 25,000 in Australia and New Zealand, and many thousands in the UK.

Many of today's Buteyko practitioners were originally taught the Buteyko Method as a result of their own asthma condition, and saw for themselves the effectiveness of the therapy.

In the UK the therapy has been featured on a number of television programmes including the BBC's 'QED' science programme and 'Inside Out', ITV's 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald' and the "Pride of Britain awards", and Channel 4's 'Richard and Judy' show. In addition several case study articles have appeared in various newspapers and magazines.

Sadly, Professor Buteyko passed away on May 2nd 2003 in Moscow at the age of 80. The greatness of the man and his discovery will be fondly remembered by the many people (present and future) who have had their life and health changed for the better by learning the Buteyko Method.

For the future it is hoped that the Buteyko Method will become widely available on the National Health Service. The positive results of past and future clinical trials into its effectiveness, and the vast amount of anecdotal evidence available, need to be taken on board by the medical establishment.

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