A person may hyperventilate this is an abnormally rapid, deep or shallow breathing pattern.
Some symptoms of hyperventilation resemble those of certain heart or lung ailments. Also certain illnesses, such as kidney failure and diabetes, may also trigger hyperventilation.
However, the condition is rarely a serious medical problem.
During hyperventilation, a person exhales too much carbon dioxide.
As the level of carbon dioxide in the blood drops, the blood vessels narrow, allowing less blood to circulate.
If too little blood reaches the brain, the person feels dizzy and may faint.
The calcium in the blood also decreases, causing some muscles and nerves to twitch.
The twitching may result in a tingling or stabbing sensation near the mouth or in the chest.
These symptoms include a tight feeling in the chest, as though the lungs cannot receive enough air.
This sensation leads to faster and deeper breathing.
The heart may begin to pound, and the pulse rate may rise.
Such symptoms increase a person's anxiety, which can make the condition worse.
So a circle of faster breathing, faster heart beat, more feelings of being faint may result in more panic this in turn may lead to a faster breathing and heart beat, and so the circle continues.
People who hyperventilate can help control attacks by trying to slow their breathing rate when symptoms of the condition appear.
This will bring the circle of anxiety under control and allow the person to break it resulting in a recovery.
Remember that the body will use up energy during this period and they may need to rest a while to recover.
An attack of hyperventilation may last 30 minutes or longer.
A persons throat may tighten and feel dry during these times, this will add to the feeling of being unable to breath.
A person may smoke in the belief that this helps to calm them.
If a person is a smoker this may cause a shortage of breath which will only exaggerate the problem.
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