COPD

Living with COPD often means living with constant breathlessness. Breathing can feel heavy, restless, and exhausting. Many people with COPD breathe high in the chest and become short of breath even with mild exertion. That is completely understandable — but in the long run, it actually makes breathing more tiring.

With healthy breathing, air flows calmly through the nose and the diaphragm does most of the work. In COPD, this natural breathing pattern is often disrupted. The Buteyko Method can help restore a calmer, more efficient way of breathing, so that breathing requires less effort and leaves you with more energy.

Breathing problems in COPD

The breathing difficulties in COPD depend on where the condition primarily affects the lungs.

In chronic bronchitis, the bronchi are inflamed. The inflamed walls of the airways swell and produce excess mucus. Acute bronchitis often develops after a cold or flu, when a viral infection causes temporary inflammation of the bronchi. In most cases, recovery simply takes time.

In chronic bronchitis, however, the inflammation becomes persistent. The lining of the bronchi thickens, making it harder for air to flow through. Mucus production also increases, which further obstructs breathing and leads to frequent coughing. The tiny cilia that normally help clear mucus are often damaged, making it more difficult to cough up phlegm effectively.

In pulmonary emphysema, the air sacs (alveoli) are damaged, reducing the lungs’ ability to absorb oxygen. Under normal circumstances, haemoglobin in the red blood cells is almost fully saturated with oxygen when blood leaves the lungs. With healthy lungs and calm breathing, a fingertip pulse oximeter typically shows oxygen saturation levels of around 97%.

In emphysema, however, oxygen saturation can drop below 90%, especially during physical activity. This leads to rapid fatigue. Emphysema often causes a persistent feeling of breathlessness. Breathing out becomes difficult, breathing tends to be faster, and wheezing and frequent coughing are common symptoms.

Would you like to receive free advice by phone? Or are you ready to book the first session right away? Use the Book Appointment button to easily choose a time that suits you.

When the Buteyko Method can help with COPD

COPD is an umbrella term that includes conditions such as chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. It involves permanent damage to the lungs. At the same time, in many people — estimated at 60 to 70% — part of the airway narrowing is still modifiable. In these cases, breathlessness is not caused by damaged lung tissue alone, but also by factors such as:

  • inflammation of the airways
  • excessive mucus production
  • tension in the smooth muscle surrounding the airways

Medication is often prescribed to address these symptoms. If this medication provides noticeable relief, it is an important signal that breathing therapy based on the Buteyko Method may also be beneficial.

Reversible factors

The Buteyko Method helps people whose airway obstruction is partly reversible. The degree of reversibility can be assessed by observing whether asthma or COPD medication makes breathing easier. Those who experience clear relief from bronchodilators or maintenance medication are likely to benefit from the Buteyko Method as well.

Conversely, if medication provides little or no relief, the likelihood that the Buteyko Method will be effective is considerably lower.

By addressing the reversible components of airway narrowing, breathing therapy can complement medical treatment and help reduce unnecessary breathing effort — offering a more comfortable way to live with COPD.

What the Buteyko Method does

People with COPD often breathe more air than their body actually needs. This costs energy and increases the feeling of breathlessness. The Buteyko Method focuses on reducing breathing volume to a calmer, more functional level. Through targeted exercises, you learn to:

  • breathe more slowly and calmly
  • breathe less high in the chest and more with the diaphragm
  • cope more effectively with shortness of breath

As breathing becomes calmer, symptoms such as breathlessness, coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness often decrease.

More calm, better circulation, more energy

Slower breathing improves oxygen uptake and supports healthy circulation. Light, calm diaphragmatic breathing also activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the part of your nervous system responsible for relaxation and recovery. As a result, many people experience not only less breathlessness, but also a greater sense of calm in the body and more energy in everyday life.

Rate and registration

The standard hourly rate applies to each session. For adults, four (sometimes five) sessions are usually needed, for children two or three sessions.

Via the button below you can immediately make an appointment for the first session or a free telephone consultation.

For which conditions?