What is hyperventilation?

Breathing quickly is useful when you are making an effort. But without effort, breathing too quickly can have nasty consequences.

People with hyperventilation will exhale more CO2 than necessary, which will make the blood less acidic. This will result in dizziness, light-headedness and tingling in fingers, hands or lips. Sometimes we also see pain or pressure in the chest. These complaints sometimes lead to anxiety reactions. The cause of hyperventilation is often over-fatigue, panic attack, stress or overload.

The main treatment consists of exhaling less CO2. You can do this by breathing more slowly. In the past, people used a plastic bag or a bread bag in which to breathe in and out. Now you will mainly slow down the breathing rhythm by, for example, counting to 5, 6, 7, etc. Relaxation exercises with a physiotherapist or psychologist can prevent attacks. If this does not help, the help of your GP is required, who will then rule out dysregulated diabetes and an asthma attack.

Source: https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(15)45685-5/abstract

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2022-02-23 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2024