Hyperventilation refers to excessive and or excessively rapid breathing. The main purpose of breathing is to expel carbon dioxide (CO2) and to take in oxygen. Hyperventilation / excessive breathing leads to reduced CO2 (although O2 levels remain about normal). This reduced CO2 causes symptoms including tingling, numbness, dizziness, light-headedness, and fainting, which can be most alarming and quite dangerous.
Interestingly, hyperventilation actually creates, or worsens, a feeling of shortness of breath and so the person breathes even more rapidly. This becomes a self-promulgating condition.
Hyperventilation is most often seen in anxiety and panic-attack conditions. But it can be associated with stress and other psychological conditions as well with severe pain, high altitude, certain lung conditions (e.g. asthma). Techniques akin to forced-hyperventilation are sometimes used by free divers and other people seeking to prolong breath-holding. This can be quite dangerous.
The usual advice for hyperventilation is to breathe into a paper bag, the idea being that by re-breathing air the CO2 level can be increased towards normal. In truth this is unproven and in any event, the benefit is more easily and safely achieved through simple coaching techniques that focus on calm reassurance and focus on slower counted breathing. “…breathe with me….now let us count together as slowly breathe in…you are doing well…you’re fine…slowly now, slowly out we breathe…watch my breathing and breathe with me…”
Hyperventilation can be a troubling condition. The cause is usually psychological in some form, and professional help should be sought here. In a first-aid scenario, simple calm reassurance and a focus on slower breathing usually helps.
Written by Dr Colin Burns
