Hyperventilation

Hyperventilation Overview

Hyperventilation is breathing in excess of what the body needs. This is sometimes called overbreathing. Rapid or deep breathing is sometimes seen in very serious conditions such as infection, bleeding, or heart attack.

Hyperventilation syndrome is more specific and relates to an overbreathing pattern that happens under certain conditions. This overbreathing results in a group of symptoms.

Although hyperventilation syndrome may seem very similar to panic attacks, the 2 disorders are different.

• Those with panic disorder often have emotional complaints (for example, fear of death or closed-in spaces) with their attacks.

• If you have hyperventilation syndrome, however, you will have certain symptoms without these emotional complaints (although you still may be anxious).

Hyperventilation Causes

The cause or causes of hyperventilation syndrome are unknown. Certain conditions or situations produce overbreathing in some people.

Hyperventilation Symptoms

Sudden and everyday are the 2 forms of hyperventilation syndrome. In its everyday form, the overbreathing may be hard to detect. The sudden form comes on rapidly and has more intense symptoms. People with this syndrome may have stomach, chest, nervous system, and emotional complaints.

• Hyperventilation syndrome may result in swallowing excessive air. This results in the following abdominal complaints:

• Also, anxiety with increased air movement through the mouth can cause a dry mouth feeling.

• Chemical changes can happen with overbreathing. Hyperventilation causes the carbon dioxide level in the blood to decrease. This lower level of carbon dioxide reduces blood flow to the brain, which may result in the following nervous system and emotional complaints:

• Overbreathing can also cause the calcium levels to drop in your blood, which may result in the following nervous system complaints:

• Many different factors can cause chest symptoms with hyperventilation syndrome. Normally, breathing is relaxed. If you overbreathe, the lungs become overinflated. Without thinking about it, you might use your chest muscles to expand your rib cage. This extra muscle work will feel like shortness of breath, and you will have difficulty taking a deep breath. Your chest muscles will become tired, just like your legs tire after a long run. The lowered carbon dioxide levels in the blood can cause squeezing of the airways, which then results in wheezing. Hyperventilation syndrome may cause the following chest complaints:

• Your doctor will make sure that you aren't having a heart attack by considering the following:
  
  
  • Hyperventilation symptoms usually last longer (hours as opposed to minutes).
    
    
  • Hyperventilation symptoms usually happen in younger people.
    
    
  • Hyperventilation symptoms usually improve with exercise.
    
    
  • Hyperventilation pain does not improve with heart medication.
    
    
  • In very rare cases, people who hyperventilate can have low carbon dioxide blood levels that can cause a spasm of the blood vessels that supply the heart. If you already have heart disease, this spasm may be enough to cause a heart attack.