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Exercises help mild asthmatics stay off inhaler

Respiratory Care Weekly, June 7, 2006

Two breathing exercises can reduce the necessity of inhalers among mild asthmatics, said research in the June Thorax. These breathing techniques can cut the use of reliever inhalers by more than 80% and halve the dose of preventer inhaler required in mild asthma, researchers said. One technique calls for shallow, nasal breathing with slow exhalations, and the second technique uses general upper body exercises, accompanied by relaxation.

A study of these exercises included participants who used a preventer inhaler and required reliever inhaler at least four times a week. Randomly assigned to one or the other breathing technique, the 57 adults practiced the exercises 25 minutes, twice a day, for 30 weeks. Use of reliever medication fell by 86% in both groups, a process that began within weeks of starting the exercises and was maintained over eight months.  

Click here http://press.psprings.co.uk/thx/june/tx54767.pdfto read the full paper free of charge.

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