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Hyperventilation: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Medically reviewed by Jezreel Esguerra, MD · General Practitioner


Written by Nikita Bhalla · Updated Mar 30, 2023

    Hyperventilation: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

    If you suffer from hyperventilation, you breathe deeper and more rapidly than normal. This decreases the amount of carbon dioxide in your blood. Hence, it can lead you to feel shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and rapid heartbeat. 

    What Is Hyperventilation?

    Hyperventilation is a term most commonly used if you have rapid or fast deep breathing and over-breathing. And its causes include emotional stress, anxiety, some medicines, fever, and intense exercises. You may experience this condition due to an asthma attack, emphysema, or head injury. Most commonly, this condition is seen in people who breathe shallowly, have any health conditions, or are tense and nervous. 

    People who are at risk of developing this condition are individuals between 15 and 55 years of age. Interestingly, women experience this condition more often compared to men. 

    You may suffer from either acute hyperventilation or chronic (recurring) hyperventilation. Acute hyperventilation is usually caused by acute stress or emotional upset. Meanwhile, chronic hyperventilation may be an ongoing issue for you if you have health conditions like lung cancer, asthma, or emphysema. 

    Many women experience this condition during their pregnancy, but it usually goes away after delivery. 

    hyperventilation

    Symptoms

    You may experience hyperventilation when you have little carbon dioxide in your blood. In many cases, you may not be aware of it but sometimes experience the symptoms related to it. You may experience the following symptoms when the CO2 levels in your blood reduce due to hyperventilation:

    • Numbness or tingling (paresthesia)
    • Lightheadedness
    • Shortness of breath or rapid breathing (tachypnea)
    • Belching
    • Difficulty sleeping
    • Weakness (loss of strength)
    • Chest pain
    • Abdominal bloating
    • Dry mouth
    • Dizziness or vertigo
    • Palpitations

    You may experience serious symptoms from this condition. And when you do, get medical help immediately. Some of the serious symptoms include:

    • Severe pain
    • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
    • Fever
    • Uncontrollable bleeding
    • Chest pain
    • Muscle spasms

    Ensure you get medical help immediately as hyperventilation can be life-threatening.

    Causes

    You may have medical or emotional factors that can cause hyperventilation, such as:

    Medical factors of hyperventilation

    • Ketoacidosis and similar medical conditions
    • Drug overdose
    • Infection such as pneumonia or sepsis
    • Pregnancy
    • Bleeding
    • Heart ailments
    • Lung diseases such as asthma, COPD, or pulmonary embolism
    • Stimulant medicines
    • Severe pain

    Emotional factors

    • Panic attack
    • Anxiety and nervousness
    • Stress

    Risk Factors

    There are several factors that increase the risk of having an episode of hyperventilation. However, you must know that not all people with these following factors will get experience it:

    • Family medical history of anxiety or panic attacks
    • Panic disorder such as phobia
    • Certain medications
    • Family history of anxiety or panic attacks
    • Stress

    Diagnosis

    When you experience the symptoms of hyperventilation, you must visit your doctor’s clinic immediately. Ensure you are not starting any medication or remedy without consulting your doctor.

    In your doctor’s clinic, your doctor will perform a physical examination and ask questions related to your health, symptoms you experience and overall lifestyle. 

    Your doctor may also check your breathing. If your doctor does not see its symptoms, your doctor might try causing hyperventilation by telling you to breathe in a certain way. Your doctor will then watch how you breathe and check which muscles you are using when breathing.

    To rule out this condition, your doctor may recommend the following tests:

    • ECG to check your heart
    • Ventilation/perfusion scan to check the blood flow to your heart muscles
    • X-rays of the chest
    • Chest CT scan
    • Blood tests to check the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood

    Treatment

    Your doctor may recommend treatment depending on your hyperventilation test results. Based on your condition, they may plan a treatment option such as the following: 

    • Stress recognition
    • Physical coping strategies
    • Breathing retraining
    • Postural and upper chest musculoskeletal balancing
    • Medications like anti-anxiolytics/muscle relaxants if indicated
    • A graduated fitness regimen/lifestyle appraisal
    • Counselling for anxiety and depression if required
    • Upper respiratory health assessment
    • Sleep hygiene

    It may take approximately six to eight weeks to change an established pattern from dysfunctional breathing back to normal. Depending on your condition, your doctor may recommend breathing exercises such as pursed-lip breathing. In this, you will be asked to hold your breath for short periods. This exercise can help slow down your breathing.

    Your doctor may also suggest acupuncture to effectively treat hyperventilation syndrome. In acupuncture, the expert inserts thin needles in certain areas of your body, commonly called as acupoints. This can help reduce anxiety and severity of hyperventilation.

    Ensure you follow the treatment suggested by your doctor. And in case you feel the treatment is not helping in resolving the condition, contact your doctor immediately.

    Lifestyle Changes

    Your doctor may suggest a few lifestyle changes for hyperventilation such as:

    • Consume a healthy diet that contains essential nutrients and minerals.
    • Lower the intake of caffeinated beverages like tea, coffee and soda. Also, limit eating chocolates.
    • To relieve anxiety, talk to your friends, family or anyone with whom you are comfortable sharing your thoughts. You can also maintain a journal or personal diary and note down all your thoughts. 
    • Take up stress management activities to manage your stress and tension, since these helps a lot. Try cycling, working out, dance, play a sport, etc to manage stress.
    • Take up regular aerobic exercise to force yourself to take full breaths and help reduce anxiety.
    • Learn diaphragmatic breathing or belly-breathing techniques and practice when you are not hyperventilating. 
    • Breathe through your nose. It is difficult to over breathe when your mouth is closed. It is because you can’t pass excess air through your nose.
    • You should wear loose clothes. This is because tight clothes can make it difficult to breathe and cause upper-chest breathing.
    • Practice meditation for healthy thinking and avoid negative thoughts.
    • And lastly, sleep healthily, so that you ensure you get enough sleep as taking enough rest helps reduce daytime anxiety. 

    Remember, these tips and techniques may help you to slow down your fast breathing and bring them back to normal. But if these tips and techniques do not help you, inform your doctor immediately.

    It is important that you consult your doctor before using these above-mentioned techniques and tips to treat hyperventilation.

    Learn more about Respiratory Issues here

    Disclaimer

    Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    Medically reviewed by

    Jezreel Esguerra, MD

    General Practitioner


    Written by Nikita Bhalla · Updated Mar 30, 2023

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