Hyperventilation (excessive breathing) when panicking, is it dangerous? & bull; hello healthy

You may have experienced it. When you experience panic attacks, you suddenly breathe faster and deeper. The air getting into your lungs feels like a lot more than usual, and you can't stop it. This is what is called hyperventilation or excessive breathing. Is this dangerous?

What is hyperventilation?

Healthy breathing is usually a balance between inhaling oxygen and carbon dioxide. Hyperventilation is a condition in which you may be giving off more carbon dioxide than inhaling it. The carbon dioxide in the body is also reduced. This low level triggers the constriction of the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. When that happens, you will feel 'floating' and tingling in your fingers. Even severe cases of hyperventilation can cause loss of consciousness or fainting.

ALSO READ: Steps to Overcome Panic Attacks

What causes excessive breathing?

Excessive breathing, or hyperventilation can be considered a form of panic attack. Although this case is fairly rare, anyone can still experience it. Hyperventilation is usually triggered by panic that occurs due to fear, stress, or phobia. For some people, this condition is a response to their emotional expression. If it occurs frequently, you may have hyperventilation syndrome. Other causes can include:

• Bleeding
• The use of stimulant drugs, these drugs can increase heart rate
• Very sick
• Pregnancy
• Infection of the lungs
• Heart disease, such as a heart attack
• Diabetic ketoacidosis (complications of high blood sugar in people with type 1 diabetes)

ALSO READ: Beware, Stress Has Fatal Effects on Diabetes Patients

In addition, hyperventilation can also be caused by asthma or conditions after a head injury. You can also experience excessive breathing, when you go to a place that is over 6,000 feet high.

What are the symptoms that will appear when hyperventilation?

Symptoms of hyperventilation may last for 20 to 30 minutes. These symptoms are:

• Feeling anxious, nervous, and depressed
• Frequent sighing and yawning
• You feel stuffy, need extra air
• Sometimes to get some air, you need to sit down
• Pounding heartbeat
• Have problems related to balance such as vertigo, and a feeling of 'floating'
• Numbness, or tingling around the mouth
• The chest feels tight, like a feeling of fullness, and pain

ALSO READ: Helping People Who Have Panic Attack

You may not realize that you are hyperventilating, because symptoms are not frequent and common. Here are some of the symptoms:

• Headache
• Bloated
• Sweating
• Vision changes, such as blurriness
• Limb twitching
• Trouble remembering
• Loss of consciousness

How to deal with hyperventilation?

What you need to remember is that hyperventilation is a condition, not a disease. However, if these symptoms come on repeatedly, you should check with your doctor, because it could be a sign of hyperventilation syndrome. The treatment that is carried out will be adjusted to the cause, for example when you experience excessive breathing due to stress, what must be treated is the stress. The doctor will also first see whether the symptoms are moderate or severe. Likewise with the time of appearance, whether it has interfered with your daily activities, or is it still tolerable.

Here are some recommended treatments:

1. Home remedies

Luckily, you can try some of the following techniques at home to treat acute hyperventilation, such as:

• Try to breathe while pursing your lips
• Breathe into a paper bag, or breathe out with your hands cupping your nose
• Try belly breathing, not chest breathing. Abdominal breathing is often used during singing practice, the goal is that you can have a long breath
• You can also try to hold your breath for a few seconds

2. Reduce stress

As explained above, if anxiety or stress is the trigger, you may also need help from a psychologist. They will understand what your anxiety and stress is based on, so they can heal the root of the problem. As a first step, you can try meditation.

3. Acupuncture

Wow, who would have thought this traditional medicine was considered effective in treating hyperventilation syndrome? A study on the NCBI, concluded that acupuncture has benefits for reducing hyperventilation syndrome and anxiety.

4. Medicines

Depending on the severity, the doctor will prescribe a medication. The following drugs may be prescribed:

• alprazolam (Xanax)
• doxepin (Silenor)
• paroxetine (Paxil)

How to prevent hyperventilation?

An easy way to prevent excessive breathing is to practice breathing and relaxation techniques, these exercises can be in the form of meditation. Regular exercise - such as running, cycling - can also prevent you from having shortness of breath

It's hard to stay calm in certain urgent and panic situations, but you have to remind yourself of any hyperventilation symptoms that appear. Over time, your brain will automatically send a calm signal whenever there is a state of urgency.