Hyperventilation means breathing too fast and/or too deeply.
Carbon dioxide levels in the blood drop, and these chemical changes affect the way some nerves work. This causes abnormal sensations, so that you feel unwell even though you are not. Acute hyperventilation comes on suddenly during panic attacks, causing dizziness, breathlessness and pins-and-needles in the fingers.
If you have a severe attack it helps to breath in and out of a bag. This helps you to relax and keeps your carbon dioxide levels up. Chronic hyperventilation is more difficult to diagnose because the body compensates for the chemical changes so symptoms are less clear. Some people have other medical problems too, which can also be confusing.
Common complaints are light-headedness, breathlessness, difficulty in taking a deep breath and even chest pain. These usually occur when you're resting or talking rather than when you're exercising, which is the opposite of significant lung or heart conditions.
The symptoms of chronic hyperventilation can be frightening, so explanation and reassurance are very helpful. You may benefit from being taught breathing exercises by a physiotherapist. Underlying stress, anxiety or depression may also be factors that affect hyperventilation.
