[Treatment] Buteyko breathing and oral exercises experiences?

[Maldo]

Hello all.

I am Maldo, from Spain, just joined the board.
I am a CPAP user for 10 years more or less, but now I would like to try to beat the source of my obstructive sleep apnea, if possible. I read about Buteyko breathing exercises and some oral, tongue exercises, even singing...

Anyone have experience to share?
many thanks!

[DocWils]

Circular breathing exercises, by playing the Digeridoo has been shown to tone the throat and reduce simple OSA.

[Maldo]

Circular breathing exercises, by playing the Digeridoo has been shown to tone the throat and reduce simple OSA.

Thanks! it sounds funny.
Any resource to learn about and some treatment protocol?

[DocWils]

I am afraid you will have to look it up - all my information is in German or French on our internal medical info server, which discusses the general technique and the success rate but there are several sites out there in English for lay people. At our LungenLiga (the local organisation for breathing disorders) they offer classes in it using perspex tubes, so you don't have to invest in a real Doo or anything, but size and diameter count, so far as I know. Any local class in Digeridoo will teach you the basics, and as I said, there are some sites with various suggestions out there.

As for singing, I suppose it will depend on technique - I know several opera singers with OSA, so I do not know if singing in general will help, and I have treated at least two pop singers both with OSA (I did not threat them for OSA, but for other problems - SA is not my area), so that technique probably is also not what you are looking for.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Maldo,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more responses to your post and much success to you as you continue your CPAP therapy.

[OMyMyOHellYes]

Are we gonna start that Tuvan throat singing topic again?!? That was cool.

OMMOHY

[Maldo]

Thanks to all of you.
I will try didgeridoo and will let you know...
About Tuvan singing, I suppose it's the gutural method, as sainkho namtchylak (I like her a lot). This is getting more interesting (and time demanding!) has it been proved to work?

[DocWils]

Tuvan singing has had variable results, as had Inuit throat singing. So far the circular breathing method learned in Digeridoo playing has had the highest success rate. The reason the singing is sometimes variable is that some people's bodies respond to the technique used in vocalising by working harder to relax the tissue in order to accommodate the vibratory noise. There was a study in Scotland that showed response to playing the chanter of the bagpipe. Some trumpet players also show response.

[stcrim]

Actually it appears that playing the didgeridoo does about the same thing as Buteyko breathing. It increases your carbon dioxide and slows your breathing. Unrelated to the dig, here are a couple of links: http://www.breathconnection.net/Download...ybirch.pdf

http://www.breathconnection.net/Download...apnoea.pdf

[archangle]

Buteyko and breathing exercises are a waste of time.

Many of these techniques don't do much good. Most people don't actually do the exercises enough to help. Most of them don't work at all.