How to Cope With Hyperventilation

Hyperventilation is mostly caused by anxiety, panic attack or high level of stress. In rare cases, hyperventilation is caused by injury, hypoglycemia, heart attack or bleeding. The symptoms of hyperventilation include shortness of breath, dizziness,agitation, hallucination, rapid and deep breathing, chest tightness and chest pain. Learn to deal with hyperventilation based on few simple steps outlined below.

Instructions

• 1

  Calm down. Find out what might trigger hyperventilation to prevent future hyperventilation. Remind yourself to breathe slowly. Inhale through the nose, and hold the breath for at least 5 seconds before exhaling. Alternatively, breathe through pursed lips, which can help to prevent hyperventilation.

• 2

  Try belly breathing. Lie down in a comfortable position, and when breathing, let your stomach press against your hands.

• 3

  Breathe in and out of a paper bag 6 to 12 times.

• 4

  Alternate between belly breathing, breathing slowly and breathing into a paper bag until the symptoms go away.

• 5

  Call 911 and seek emergency medical assistance if the symptoms persist. Check whether hyperventilation is due to an injury or bleeding.

• 6

  Make sure that the victim does not have heart attack. Note that symptoms of hyperventilation are typically longer than heart attacks, which usually last up to 10 to 15 minutes. Furthermore, the symptoms of hyperventilation are not improved by heart medication.

• 7

  Consult with a doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor can assess whether you have hyperventilation syndrome, meaning that you hyperventilate regularly.

• 8

  Regular exercise can help to reduce the risk of hyperventilation. Eat a healthy diet and avoid caffeine.