Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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Hyperventilation

scullin6
scullin6
I know it's been discussed but I wanted to throw out some information.

Many of us hyperventilate during panic attacks but that is not the most insidious from it can take. I have spent thousands on all kind of gi tests, heart tests, blood tests and all the rest. A holistic doctor I saw finally saw all the docs were trying to treat the individual symptoms I was experiencing but all together only one thing covered them all. Over breathing.

Characterized by thoracic breathing (chest rather than abdomen) and shallow breaths. I personally also unconsciously hold my breath. The symptoms are almost as vast as anxiety itself. It causes further anxiety, chest tightness and pain, tingling extremities and sometimes lips, palpitations, light headedness, dizziness, bloating, gas, abdominal pain and more.

Anybody else received this diagnosis or had these experiences. I have been concentrating on proper breathing and my symptoms are dramatically better but also causes me some added anxiety as I have exaggerated body consciousness issues already. Also feeling like you have to pay attention to your breath at all times can cause me to breath poorly.
Community LeaderMid
Mid
What I would do to help sort out the main trigger is to have a deep back massage done. You can help your muscles work together in breathing once you get the connection set up right again.
I was present when a person began to lose their breath without being aware of it when someone came up behind them and tapped them on the back. It brought them out of the attack and they've been fine ever since.
It takes a combination of exercise and determination to find what will work for you to gain the upper hand with anxiety.
Best wishes!
scullin6
scullin6
Working on the exercise, but often this causes the breathing to get worse as my body requires more oxygen. My psydoc recommends drugs to calm the anxiety which in turn should relax my breathing but I am quite stubborn on beating my anxiety holistically.

Boy would I love a good back massage!
deleted_user
deleted_user
I've been breathing weird since yesterday. I have allergies and still continue to try and breath through my nose even though one side is completley blocked and the other sde is half blocked. I also have drainage down my throat which makes me feel like I am not getting anywhere near enough air.....I put on a mask to see if that would help my allergy symptoms, which it did, but it also relaxed me tremendously. My breathing slowed and was much deeper. Kind of worked the way a person who is hyperventilating breates into a paper bag I guess.... I'm not wearing the mask now, but feel like I should put it back on as my breathing is getting weird again.....
scullin6
scullin6
Actually I thought I had allergy issued but my doc said it is partly due to my breathing. In order to slow it down the body creates mucous to block the airway. In which case allergy med are contraindicated. I bought a "tea pot" drainage system my nurse recommended but have been too weirded out by to use yet.

What kind of mask?
deleted_user
deleted_user
Mine is allergies, I've had them my entire life, for as long as I can remember also have inner ear problems, which probably also contributes to some of my symptoms. I've thought about using teh Neti Pot but I too am a bit "weirded out" by it...lol! The mask is just one my bf has out in the garage, he uses them when he is using someting with bad fumes when he's out there working. It's a little different than the ones Dr.'s use as the mask is very stiff, but it is meant to be too keep as much as the bad stuff you could be breathing out...
deleted_user
deleted_user
Mine is allergies, I've had them my entire life, for as long as I can remember also have inner ear problems, which probably also contributes to some of my symptoms. I've thought about using teh Neti Pot but I too am a bit "weirded out" by it...lol! The mask is just one my bf has out in the garage, he uses them when he is using someting with bad fumes when he's out there working. It's a little different than the ones Dr.'s use as the mask is very stiff, but it is meant to be too keep as much as the bad stuff you could be breathing out...
deleted_user
deleted_user
Mine is allergies, I've had them my entire life, for as long as I can remember also have inner ear problems, which probably also contributes to some of my symptoms. I've thought about using teh Neti Pot but I too am a bit "weirded out" by it...lol! The mask is just one my bf has out in the garage, he uses them when he is using someting with bad fumes when he's out there working. It's a little different than the ones Dr.'s use as the mask is very stiff, but it is meant to be too keep as much as the bad stuff you could be breathing out...
deleted_user
deleted_user
Mine is allergies, I've had them my entire life, for as long as I can remember also have inner ear problems, which probably also contributes to some of my symptoms. I've thought about using teh Neti Pot but I too am a bit "weirded out" by it...lol! The mask is just one my bf has out in the garage, he uses them when he is using someting with bad fumes when he's out there working. It's a little different than the ones Dr.'s use as the mask is very stiff, but it is meant to be too keep as much as the bad stuff you could be breathing out...
scullin6
scullin6
HMMM...I have both dust masks and paint masks with filters. Might just be worth a try. I don't use the paper bag as my breathing is chronic. I have read where cupping your hands over your mouth can help.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Scullin6, I see you posted this over a year ago -- I have the same breathing problem you do (sometimes chest breathing, shallow breathing, holding breath) and am wondering if you've found anything that works to help you breathe easier. I believe this is causing my anxiety/panic attacks as well. I can also relate to your "exaggerated body consciousness" -- that describes me perfectly. BTW, I have read that you should *not* breathe into a paper bag/your hands/etc. -- rather, you should try to breathe slowly, through your nose to an approximately 7 seconds in, 11 seconds out count.
Lindy
meweird
meweird
when i've hyperventilated they gave me a paper bag and that helps, i was in band for many years and learned a lot of breathing tricks for playing sometimes those help but i always have a hard time figuring out if it's asthma or hyperventilation both feel the same to me though one gets better with my inhaler and the other one doesn't.
deleted_user
deleted_user
meweird. for what it's worth, some professionals online are saying *don't* breathe into a paper bag. Just do slow abdominal breathing through your nose, breathing out longer than you breathe in.
Lindy
scullin6
scullin6
I have found 4 in 8 out is very helpful. Breathing longer out is key whatever count you may happen to use. Try it several times a day. The goal is to break the bad hapit and bring back healthy patterns. Proper breathing can drop your blood pressure significantly as well which can further reduce panic/anxiety symptoms. I don't have true panic attacks anymore but still live in a state of high(er) anxiety. Proper breathing activates the lymbic system in your brain this can turn off the lizard brain screaming fight/run and turn on your logical processes again bringing some relief.
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