Asthma is a physical tightening of the airways.
These can tighten so much that the sufferer can literally suffocate to death.
It follows that no matter what else is involved, the symptoms are very physical and very real.
And so it makes sense that asthma is fought with a physical method that physiologically makes the airways open.
Maybe you have asthma yourself or perhaps you are searching for a cure for a loved one.
Any parent with an asthmatic child knows all too well what it is like to worry all night with a child who is struggling to breathe.
And any asthmatic knows all too well that feeling when oxygen is depleted, the legs feel weak, and dizziness creeps in; all whilst desperately struggling to gasp in some air.
But there is a scientifically-proven solution devised by a medical doctor that actually works.
With this method, your asthma (or your loved one's asthma) can be much more manageable.
And in some cases, it can even disappear completely.
This is a physical method that concentrates on releasing the main physical cause of asthma.
This method is called the Buteyko breathing method.
It was devised by a Russian doctor, Dr Buteyko, and is accepted as a mainstream method in Russia.
Dr Buteyko made a revolutionary discovery.
He found that the main physical cause of asthma is breathing in too much oxygen! What?! Surely, not! Well, this is how it works in a nutshell.
When an asthmatic's lungs contain too much oxygen, the body's biochemistry changes and the airways tighten.
The response of course is to try even harder to breathe, leading to hyperventilation and even more oxygen in the lungs, leading to even more tightening of the lungs.
But you cannot exactly say to someone gasping for breath not to breathe! The Buteyko method works by gradually re-training your breathing so that over time, your body's biochemistry will change, leading to more open airways.
The training involves a set of simple exercises.
And there is a fun version for children too.
And do not worry if exercise is not for you! These exercises do not involve wearing a tracksuit or leotard.
They do not involve twisting yourself into a pretzel.
And they do not involve any kind of athletic skill.
To learn how the Buteyko method works, you have a few options.
These depend on your location and budget.
If there is a local Buteyko practitioner near you, you may choose to attend one-to-one sessions.
Some Buteyko practitioners also offer group sessions and workshops, which are usually very good value for money.
Or you can learn from a book, an e-book, or a DVD.
I personally learned from a book, which has helped me tremendously with my breathing.
Once you understand the basics and learn the simple exercises, it is just a matter of doing them.
From allocating just a few minutes a day to your Buteyko exercises, you may be pleasantly surprised at the results.