This course provides a practical and clinically focused introduction to Integrative Breathing Therapy (IBT) with a focus on nasal and upper airway rehabilitation. The course will focus on the role of breathing dysfunction and breathing retraining in upper airway and oral motor function, craniofacial development and sleep disordered breathing.
Learn practical breathing retraining integrating the whole of body breathing and myofunctional therapy.
Learn the essentials of Integrative Breathing Therapy (IBT) and Dr Courtney’s multidimensional model of dysfunctional breathing. Learn techniques, beyond Buteyko, for assessing breathing and for individualised functional breathing and nasal rehabilitation.
Key Learning objectives –
- Review the structural and functional consequences of mouth breathing.
- Learn to assess and treat nose breathing patients. Learn techniques and protocols for nasal breathing assessment.
- Understand why breathing is often the missing link in the treatment of patients with neuromuscular, postural and structural dysfunctions, stress disorders and “difficult to treat”conditions.
- Understand the real world difference between functional and dysfunctional breathing.
- Learn how to use and interpret some fundamental assessment tools of IBT such as the MARM breathing assessment, breath holding time and validated symptom questionnaires.
- Understand the practical importance of functional and neurological links between the upper airway (nose and throat disorders) and dysfunctional breathing.
- Learn fundamental principles and some techniques of IBT nasal and upper airway neuromuscular rehabilitation.
- Discuss the strengths, limitations and applications of some breathing techniques including the Buteyko Breathing technique, diaphragmatic breathing, respiratory muscles strength training and others.