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Hyperventilation is treatable, but you may have underlying problems. Your doctor can help you get to the root of the problem and find an appropriate treatment.
How Is Hyperventilation Treated? You may be able to stop yourself from hyperventilating if you focus on taking controlled breaths. These steps may not feel natural, but don’t let that stop you.
The main treatments for hyperventilation syndrome are reassurance and breathing retraining. If your healthcare provider has ruled out all other possible causes of hyperventilation, they’ll reassure you that your episodes and symptoms aren’t a sign of a harmful underlying condition.
Treatment. The goal in treating hyperventilation is to raise the carbon dioxide level in the blood. There are several ways to do this: Reassurance from a friend or family member can help relax your breathing.
If you have a physical condition, such as COPD or an infection, you’ll need specific treatment for the condition. If you have a mental health condition that contributes to these episodes, medication and psychotherapy (talk therapy) can help.
Treatment for hyperventilation is about helping the person lower their blood levels of carbon dioxide and calm their breathing. For people with anxiety, controlled breathing exercises are the way to stop hyperventilating at the moment.
This topic will discuss the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of patients presenting with hyperventilation syndrome. Detailed discussions of associated disorders are presented separately.
Overview. Hyperventilation is breathing that is deeper and more rapid than normal. It causes a decrease in the amount of a gas in the blood. (This gas is called carbon dioxide, or CO2.) The decrease may make you feel lightheaded. You may have a rapid heartbeat and be short of breath.
Try belly-breathing. This fills your lungs fully, slows your breathing rate, and helps you relax. Place one hand on your belly just below the ribs. Place the other hand on your chest. You can do this while standing, but it may be more comfortable while you lie on the floor with your knees bent. Take a deep breath through your nose.
Considerations. You breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Excessive breathing creates a low level of carbon dioxide in your blood. This causes many of the symptoms of hyperventilation. You may hyperventilate from an emotional cause such as during a panic attack. Or, it can be due to a medical problem, such as bleeding or infection.