Breathing into a paper bag for hyperventilating does it work?
Rod Brouhard is a journalist, advocate, and emergency medical technician.
Michael Menna is an emergency medicine physician at White Plains Hospital.
When someone is hyperventilating on TV or in a movie, you often see them take out a brown paper bag and start breathing into it.Maybe you've tried the paper bag method on your own.
It doesn't always work in real life for a TV character to get relief from symptoms of hyperventilation using the method.It is possible that the trick can work in some cases of hyperventilation.
It may be dangerous in some instances.If you think you're hyperventilating but are actually experiencing symptoms of a more serious medical condition, you may be putting your health at risk.
When a person has a panic attack, the psychological condition can make them breathe too fast, which causes the body to lose carbon dioxide.
You still need a minimum amount of CO2 in your bloodstream to maintain your body's pH balance, even though it is a metabolic byproduct in the air you exhale.The tissues in your body can malfunction if you lose a lot of CO2 due to hyperventilation.
The purpose of breathing into a paper bag or mask is to help your body put CO2 back into your blood.While breathing into a paper bag to treat hyperventilation can work in theory, many doctors and patients don't find it to be a particularly quick or effective method.
If you have panic attacks frequently, you may have a chronic case of hyperventilation.Your doctor can help you find the best treatment.
There isn't any proof that the paper bag method is harmful or that it helps.
The link between high concentrations of CO2 and panic attacks may be due to the fact that people with anxiety are more likely to experience a panic attack.
When someone has mistaken respiratory distress for hyperventilation and is actually suffering from a more serious medical condition, the paper bag method is most dangerous.
There are a number of symptoms of hyperventilation that can occur during a heart attack.
If someone having a heart attack opts to use the paper bag method because they think they're hyperventilating, the decision may delay potentially life-saving medical intervention.
Since breathing into a paper bag restricts how much fresh air a person can breathe in, it may make the underlying medical condition worse.Reduced oxygen to the heart can cause a heart attack.
Symptoms of other serious conditions can also overlap with hyperventilation and may be worsened by using the paper bag method instead of seeking medical care.
Treatments for hyperventilation aim to return breathing to a normal pattern.Staying calm is the best treatment for a hyperventilation episode.
Breathing into a paper bag has been shown to be an effective way to treat anxiety disorders.These exercises don't pose a health risk.
The findings were confirmed by researchers from Brunel University in the United Kingdom.The group who used breathing exercises had a significant reduction in the severity of hyperventilation attacks.
Breathing exercises are only one option.The best way to prevent hyperventilation is to treat the underlying causes.
Hyperventilation can be related to psychological stress from fear, anxiety and panic attacks.
There are some symptoms that could indicate a serious, life-threatening condition.
Sometimes it will be difficult to determine if hyperventilation is the result of anxiety, stress, or a more serious health condition.If you are experiencing severe hyperventilation for the first time, it's best to seek medical care.
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Schwartzstein, Richards, Edlow, and Roy-byrne were all named.There is a syndrome of hyperventilation.Up to date.December 10, 2019.
There is a link between panic disorder and mesiotemporal epilepsy.There is an instrument for measuring the electrical activity of the brain.The 42(1):29-39 was published in 2011.