In a recent case study the benefits of The Buteyko Breathing Method were immediately apparent. I wanted to record and share this experience while it was very fresh in my mind. It concerns a client struggling with a chronic coughing condition.
Diagnosed with Asthma
Recently I started working with a patient, Nora* She came to me because of a persistent cough. Nora, aged 62, had developed this cough over the years . She had been diagnosed with Asthma years previously but for Nora this Chronic Cough was the main symptom.
Nora had been prescribed inhalers, antibiotics, steroids at various times over the years. She had tried a number of cough bottles and nasal rinses When she came to me, the cough was apparent immediately. The walk from the front of my workplace to my office door is less than two minutes and she coughed all the way. I had noticed even on the phone, as we set up the appointment, that she couldn’t complete a sentence without coughing. This presented again as I began to take her medical history in my office. She struggled to answer each question without throat clearing and coughing.
Quality of Life at stake
A persistent cough can really undermine your quality of life. It can be difficult to hold a conversation as your flow of thoughts is constantly interrupted. It is difficult to complete simple transactions in shops and over the phone. As the cough can continue through the night, your sleep can be badly disturbed and disturbed sleep [link] can have serious implications for your physical and mental health. A persistent cough can also interfere with your social life and your mental health: it can be hard to concentrate on a book or television show and the thought of going to a play, concert or a film can send you spiralling into anxiety. A persistent cough must be addressed as soon as possible.
Practice the method
Nora and I got to work on practising the buteyko breathing method during her very first session with me. I explained each step clearly and encouraged her to practice the method while seated, standing and while walking about my spacious office. Within this first session I was already seeing an improvement and, more importantly, Nora was feeling more in control of her breathing and far less inclined to cough.
Nora and I will continue to work together for another three sessions but I’m delighted to have made such an impact on her quality of life already. We’ll see her front row in the theatre before long!
If you feel like a persistent cough is affecting your quality of life I think I can help you. Use the form below to get in touch and let’s see what we can do!