How to Treat Hyperventilation

Hyperventilation (breathing too quickly) is gasping, very rapid and shallow inhalation and exhalation. In general, panic or anxiety attacks often lead to hyperventilation. However, there are potentially serious medical conditions that also cause people to breathe too quickly. Hyperventilation can have adverse effects on the body, increasing feelings of panic and anxiety, which in turn makes you breathe faster. However, you can get back to normal breathing by learning more about the causes and symptoms to deal with the condition.

Table of Contents

Understanding Hyperventilation

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Detect symptoms. Sometimes people are unaware that they are breathing too fast even while experiencing hyperventilation. Most cases of hyperventilation are caused by fear, anxiety, or panic, so it can be difficult to recognize symptoms. You need to pay attention to the symptoms in such conditions to know if they represent hyperventilation. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Rapid breathing or increased breathing rate.
Feelings of confusion, dizziness, and lightheadedness may occur while breathing too quickly.
Weakness, numbness, or pins-and-needles sensation in the arms or mouth, and cramps in the hands and feet may also occur during hyperventilation.
Heart palpitations and chest pain can be recognized during tachypnea.

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Understand the causes of hyperventilation. Panic and anxiety are the main causes of increased breathing rate. Excessive breathing is usually caused by an abnormally low level of carbon dioxide in the body. Changes in carbon dioxide levels cause the typical symptoms associated with hyperventilation. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Hyperventilation can also occur due to intentional tachypnea.
Certain health problems such as infections, blood loss, heart and lung disorders can cause hyperventilation.

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Visit your doctor to learn more. For an accurate and safe diagnosis, you need to consult a doctor. Your doctor will help you figure out the causes, triggers, and the best treatment for your particular case. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If your hyperventilation is caused by a panic attack or anxiety, your doctor can help you deal with the problems directly.
Hyperventilation may indicate another medical condition that your doctor can diagnose and treat.

Use paper bags

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Find a paper bag. Breathing in a paper bag can be a useful method of managing symptoms during a hyperventilation episode. By breathing in a paper bag, you can reuse the carbon-dioxide that is normally lost on exhalation, helping to maintain proper carbon-dioxide levels in the body and avoid symptoms of hyperventilation. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Do not use plastic bags due to the risk of choking.
The paper bag must be clean and free of small particles to avoid accidental inhalation.
Make sure your doctor allows you to use this method, as this can be dangerous if the tachypnea is caused by an injury or medical condition.

Practice breathing again

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Lie on your back and relax. To start practicing and retraining your breathing, you need to lie on your back comfortably and relax your body. Relaxing your entire body will help you focus fully on your breathing and get the most out of your breathing practice. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Remove restrictive clothing or accessories such as belts or ties.
You can place pillows under your back or on your knees for more comfort.

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Place an object on your stomach. Your breathing during hyperventilation is usually shallow, rapid, and comes from the chest. You will have to retrain your breathing so that you can breathe deeper, more rhythmically, while using your abdomen and diaphragm. An object placed on your abdomen will help you focus on your abdomen and create a resistance that will help strengthen the muscles responsible for abdominal breathing. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

You can put something like a phone book on your belly when you exercise.
Do not place objects that are too heavy or oddly shaped. Such objects can injure you or make it difficult to balance on your stomach.

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Use your belly to breathe. After lying comfortably and placing a suitable object on your stomach, you can begin to practice breathing. The goal here is to raise and lower the object placed on the abdomen, using the abdomen as a ball. The following things should be kept in mind when practicing new breathing techniques: ^{[9] X Research Source}

Breathe through the nose. If you can’t breathe through your nose, you can pinch your lips together and breathe through your mouth.
Breathe comfortably and in rhythm.
Breathe quietly and try to avoid pauses while inhaling or exhaling.
The abdomen is the only part that moves while you practice breathing. The rest of the body needs to be kept still and relaxed.

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Continue to practice. You need to practice regularly to get the maximum benefit of the new breathing technique. With regular practice, you will find it easier to breathe in this way and can avoid breathing too fast in stressful situations. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Practice for at least 5-10 minutes every day.
Gradually adjust to slower breathing during breathing sessions.
Start breathing in this way while sitting or walking.
Finally, you will need to use this method before or during the panic attack.

Treatment of hyperventilation due to panic

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Consider medication. If hyperventilation is caused by a panic and anxiety disorder, your doctor may prescribe medication to treat your anxiety. These medications work to reduce the effects of panic and anxiety attacks, thereby helping to reduce excessive breathing. Consult your doctor for more information about medications for panic and anxiety. ^{[11] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly indicated for the treatment of depression.
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as drugs with antidepressant effects.
Note that it takes several weeks to see the effects of the medication.
Benzodiazepines are usually only used for a short time because they can be addictive if taken for a long time.

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Work with a psychologist. Sometimes hyperventilation associated with panic and anxiety disorders can be treated with psychotherapy. A psychologist will work with you to identify and deal with potential psychological issues that may be the cause of panic or anxiety-related problems that cause you to breathe too quickly. ^{[12] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Most psychologists will use cognitive-behavioral therapy to help you get over the physical sensations caused by panic or anxiety.
It takes time to see the effects of psychotherapy sessions. You need to stick with the course for many months to make sure the symptoms lessen or go away completely.

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Quickly contact your doctor. Hyperventilation can be a sign of a serious problem, and in some cases it is necessary to contact a doctor immediately or call emergency services. You should seek urgent medical attention if you develop the following signs associated with hyperventilation: ^{[13] X Research Source}

Experiencing hyperventilation for the first time.
Rapid breathing with pain.
Rapid breathing when injured or feverish.
Rapid breathing becomes more severe.
Rapid breathing with other symptoms.

Help someone who is having a quick breath

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Watch for signs of hyperventilation. Before you can help someone who is having an episode of hyperventilation, you need to assess the person’s condition. The signs are usually obvious; however you need to make sure they are actually having a bout of breathing too fast to help properly. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Hyperventilation is often characterized by very rapid, shallow breathing and breathing from the chest.
The patient often appears to be panicking.
Patients often have difficulty speaking.
The patient’s hand muscles can be seen contracting.

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Reassure the patient. If you see someone experiencing rapid breathing, you can reassure them by telling them they’ll be fine. Many times, hyperventilation increases the feeling of panic when the patient is having a panic attack, and the cycle goes on and on, making the symptoms worse. A calm attitude when reassuring will help the patient reduce panic and regain normal breathing. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Remind them that they are in a panic attack and that this is not as life-threatening as a heart attack.
Keep your voice calm, gentle, and relaxed.
Say you’re with them and won’t leave them alone.

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Help them increase their carbon-dioxide levels. During a hyperventilation attack, the level of carbon-dioxide in the body drops and can cause the typical symptoms associated with hyperventilation. To restore carbon-dioxide levels, you need to instruct the person to breathe using the following method: ^{[16] X Research Source}

Pinch your lips together, exhale and inhale through the cleft lip.
Try closing your mouth and closing one nostril, then exhale and inhale through the other nostril.
If the person seems miserable, pale, or complains of pain, you need to call emergency services so they can be diagnosed in the emergency room.

Advice

Practice belly breathing instead of shallow chest breathing.
It is thought that using paper bags to capture carbon-dioxide can help reduce the effects of hyperventilation.
Consult your doctor for more information about hyperventilation.
Calmly reassure the person in a state of hyperventilation.

Warning

Deep, slow breathing can be harmful if hyperventilation is caused by metabolic acidosis, a condition only a doctor can diagnose.
Always consult your doctor to see if the above methods are right for you.

Steps