June 29, 2007 (Insidermedicine) A combination of breathing and relaxation exercises known as the Papworth method may help reduce asthma symptoms by one-third, according to research published in the journal Thorax. 

As many as 20 million people in the US suffer from asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the lungs, causing attacks of breathlessness, tight chest, wheezing and coughing. Asthma cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few and infrequent symptoms and can live active lives. 

The Papworth method of physical therapy is a series of integrated breathing and relaxation exercises developed in the 1960s. The breathing training involves a specific breathing technique using the diaphragm, emphasizing nose breathing and the development of a breathing pattern to suit current activity. It is accompanied by relaxation training and education to help people include the exercises into their daily activities. 

To evaluate the effectiveness of the Papworth method in alleviating asthma symptoms, researchers randomly assigned 85 people with mild asthma to receive either five sessions of treatment with the Papworth method in addition to their regular drug regimen or to continue using their standard drug therapy alone. Asthma symptoms were assessed using a standardized respiratory symptoms questionnaire. 

Immediately following treatment as well as one year later, patients using the Papworth method had better respiratory symptom scores than people who had relied on drug therapy alone. In addition, patients using the Papworth method experienced less depression and anxiety, showed improvement in lung function and a reduction in symptoms from inappropriate breathing habits. 

The experts suggest that while the Papworth method may not improve the underlying causes of asthma, it may help to improve the symptoms. Considering how widespread asthma is and how disabling it can be for some people, this alternative approach will likely be embraced by both asthma suffers and their doctors. 

Reporting for Insidermedicine, I’m Dr. Susan Sharma.