Anxiety and Panic Attacks | How to Treat Someone Who is Hyperventilating

 

Anxiety and Panic Attacks - How to Treat Someone Who is Hyperventilating

One of the symptoms of an anxiety or panic attack can be hyperventilating. This happens when the sufferer begins breathing much deeper and faster than they need too. This is known as "over breathing".

This has the effect of reducing the carbon dioxide in the blood to below its normal level. This has an adverse effect on the nervous system which then triggers off the symptoms of an attack.

If you are not familiar with hyperventilation it can easily be mistaken for someone having cardiac problems. Some of the symptoms are similar to those for someone having a heart attack, chest pains, tingling in the extremities and slurred speech.

However, there is on sure sign that will help anyone identify a person suffering from hyperventilation. The hands and fingers tend to close in on them selves and are very rigid.

So how do you treat someone who is suffering from hyperventilation?

The first thing is to try and get them to relax as much as possible. Then give them something like a paper bag to breathe into. This will help the sufferer breathe in the carbon dioxide they have expelled and this will restore the carbon dioxide level in the body.

One of the common causes of hyperventilation is the fear of flying and it is not uncommon for a passenger to begin hyperventilating during a flight. Cabin crew are trained to deal with such situations and will often use a "sick bag" to get the patient to breathe into.

Although seeing someone hyperventilate the first time can be alarming it can be quickly treated and the sufferer returns to normal in a short time.

If you or someone close to you suffers from Anxiety and Panic Attacks

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What is Hyperventilating?

One of the sign of an anxiety or panic attack can be hyperventilating. This happens when the sufferer begins breathing much deeper and faster than they need too. This is known as "over breathing".

This has the effect of reducing the carbon dioxide in the blood to below its normal level. This has an adverse effect on the nervous system which then triggers off the symptoms of an attack.

If you are not familiar with hyperventilation it can easily be mistaken for someone having cardiac problems. Some of the symptoms are similar to those for someone having a heart attack, chest pains, tingling in the extremities and slurred speech.

How to identify someone having hyperventilation

However, there is on sure sign that will help anyone identify a child or a person  suffering from hyperventilation. The hands and fingers tend to close in on them selves and are very rigid.

 How do you treat someone who is suffering from hyperventilation?

The first thing is to try and get them to relax and relieve stress as much as possible. Then give them something like a paper bag to breathe into. This will help the sufferer breathe in the carbon dioxide they have expelled and this will restore the carbon dioxide level in the body.You can use self treatment or ,medical treatment to quickly help person suffering from hyperventilation.

Causes of hyperventilation

One of the common causes of hyperventilation is the fear of flying and it is not uncommon for a passenger to begin hyperventilating during a flight. Cabin crew are trained to deal with such situations and will often use a "sick bag" to get the patient to breathe into.

Although seeing someone hyperventilate the first time can be alarming it can be quickly treated and the sufferer returns to normal in a short time. There are many more remedies to stop the panic attacks .

If you or someone close to you suffers from Anxiety and Panic Attack