It was developed in Russia in the 1950's by a Russian doctor called Konstantin Buteyko, from whom the technique gets it's name. In 1981 the Russian authorities officially recognised the method as beneficial and approved it for use as a treatment for asthma throughout the former Soviet Union.

Word of the technique eventually spread to western countries such as Australia and New Zealand where practitioners have already built up 10-15 years experience of using the method. The results of a scientific trial published in Australia in 1998 showed that asthma sufferers using the technique were able to reduce their need for reliever inhalers by an average of approximately 90% in less than three months by practising the method.

Useful Links:

www.buteykobreathing.org/