Relaxation & Imagery Help Adults with Asthma Breathe Easier

Research Topics

Sunday, 03 May 2009

Researchers from the Technische Universität München in Munich, Germany investigated the efficacy of a brief relaxation technique consisting of functional relaxation (FR) and guided imagery (GI) in adult asthmatics in a randomized controlled trial.

Sixty-four patients with extrinsic bronchial asthma (externally caused, usually from inhaled allergens) were treated over a 4-week period and assessed at baseline, after treatment, and after 4 months, for follow-up.

Sixteen patients completed the functional relaxation, fourteen the guided imagery, and fifteen a combination of both. Thirteen received a placebo relaxation technique as the control intervention (CI). Primary outcome measures were forced expiratory volume in the first second [FEV(1)] as well as specific airway resistance [sR(aw)].

Participation in functional relaxation, guided imagery and both combined all led to significant increases in forced expiratory volume as compared to the controls at the end of the therapy*.

After follow-up, the increases were best maintained in the Functional Relaxation group, but all groups were significantly stronger than controls.** Improvements in airway resistance were in keeping with the changes in forced expiratory volume in all groups.

The study confirms a positive effect of relaxation and imagery on respiratory parameters and suggests a clinically relevant long-term benefit as a non-pharmacological adjunctive therapy option.

*FEV(1) (% predicted) of 7.6 +/- 13.2, 3.3 +/- 9.8, and 8.3 +/- 21.0, respectively, as compared to -1.8 +/- 11.1

** FEV(1) were 6.9 +/- 10.3 in the FR group, 4.4 +/- 7.3 in the GI and 4.5 +/- 8.1 in the FR/GI, compared to -2.8 +/- 9.2 in the CI.

Citation: Lahmann C, Nickel M, Schuster T, Sauer N, Ronel J, Noll-Hussong M, Tritt K, Nowak D, Röhricht F, Loew T. Functional Relaxation and Guided Imagery as Complementary Therapy in Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics. 2009 Apr 28;78(4):233-239. [Epub ahead of print]