Buteyko Control Pause (CP)

Knol Author: Dr. Andrey Novozhilov MD
Dr. Buteyko developed the Control Pause as a simple and reliable measure of the level of Carbon dioxide CO2 level in the lungs.

Buteyko Control Pause (CP)
How to measure the Control Pause correctly
Possible mistakes
Your Control Pause Results
Dr. Andrey Novozhilov MD
Interesting Buteyko knols

Buteyko Control Pause (CP)

Knol Author: Dr. Andrey Novozhilov MD

Illustrations: Victor Lunn-Rockliffe

How to measure the Control Pause correctly

A short definition of the Control Pause CP is "the time that you can hold your breath until you feel the first impulse to breathe in again". On resumption of breathing you must be able to assume the pattern of breathing you had just before you started to hold your breath.

You will need a stopwatch, a watch, or a clock that has a second hand to count the seconds.

The most important thing to remember is that the depth of the first breath at the end of a the Control pause CP should not be deeper than it was just before you started the breath-hold.

After exhalilng normally, hold your nose with your fingers.
Assume the correct posture, with a straight back.
Start your stopwatch or look at the second hand of your watch. Hold your breath, until you feel the first need to breathe again. The entire breath-hold must be completely effortless. The duration of this breath-hold is called the "Control Pause".
As soon as you feel the first need to breathe again, release your nose and resume breathing. The depth of the first inhalation must be as it was when you started holding your breath.

Dr. Buteyko developed the Control Pause as a simple and reliable measure of the level of carbon dioxide CO2 level in the lungs. When Dr Buteyko started to develop the Buteyko Method, there was no need to use the CP as Buteyko had a well equipped laboratory available with instruments to measure carbon dioxide CO2. However, when his laboratory was destroyed, he had to find a new simple way of measuring carbon dioxide CO2. So he developed the concept of the Control Pause CP.

Possible mistakes

You continue to hold your breath, with some effort, beyond the point where you feel the first urge to breathe. In this event your breath-hold will be longer than your true Control Pause.
You measure your Control Pause immediately after doing Buteyko Breathing Exercises. This is likely to lead to your measuring a shorter breath-hold than your true Control Pause, because right after doing exercises you experience a slight air-shortage. You should therefore wait three to five minutes after doing Buteyko Breathing Exercises before taking your Control Pause.
You alter your breathing in any way (including doing Buteyko Breathing Exercises) before measuring your Control Pause. This will result in a false reading. You should measure your Control Pause under "standard conditions. This means that you should measure your Control Pause when you are breathing normally without paying any particular attention to how you are breathing.
You measure your Control Pause too soon after doing physical exercise. This is likely to produce an inaccurate low measurement. After physical exercise, it is particularly important to wait until normal breathing is restored (around 10-15 minutes) before you measure your Control Pause.

Your Control Pause Results

Check your Control Pause results against the figures a long the bottom of the chart.

Dr. Andrey Novozhilov MD

Russian born Dr. Andrey Novozhilov MD, author of the book Living without Asthma, graduated at the First Moscow Medical Institute now called the Moscow Medical Academy.

As a nine year old boy he twice witnessed his mother experience clinical death as a result of severe asthma attacks. When Professor Buteyko visited her for therapy for her asthma, he taught Andrey how to treat his mother with the Buteyko method since she could not understand the Professor. Andrey started to treat asthma with the Buteyko method at the age of nine.

For the past 33 years his mother has been completely free of asthma. After completing his studies at the First Moscow Medical Institute in 1989, he worked as a therapist and general practitioner at the Buteyko Clinic in Moscow. He is currently Head Physician and author of the Buteyko practitioner's training programs at the Buteyko Clinic.

Control Pause excerpt above is from the book:

Living without Asthma by Dr. Andrey Novozhilov MD
Thank you to Dr. Andrey Novozhilov MD for giving permmision to use his work.

Interesting Buteyko knols

Buteyko & The Buteyko Method. - A short overview of the man Doctor K. P. Buteyko and his Buteyko Method also mentioning The British Guideline on the Management of Asthma 2008.

Buteyko for the Reversal of Chronic Hyperventilation with References by Peter Kolb BSc(Eng), MSc(Med) - Chronic hyperventilation affects every organ, body part and system.

The Bohr Effect with References by Jennifer and Russell Stark: authors of the book The Carbon Dioxide Syndrome - A problem can occur (retaining oxygen instead of releasing it).

Video Interview with Dr K.P. Buteyko 1988 - Series of video's made from segments of an Interview with Dr K.P. Buteyko 1988 (with English translation voice-over) on subjects such as Asthma, Life Style, Environment, Pregnant Mothers & Babies & The Buteyko Method.

Buteyko - QED BBC TV Program Video - BBC NEWS Health - The breathless way to 'cure' asthma Tuesday, August 18, 1998 Published Article by Sally Magnusson, British journalist and presenter of QEDʼs “Breathless” which was screened on BBC1 in August 98 to a record audience.

Buteyko Support Group - Buteyko Support Group for discussing The Buteyko Method