Where The Holistic Rubber Meets The Scientific Road

Hyperventilation Symptoms

Hyperventilation Symptoms

This post should be read and used after my other post on hyperventilation.

For each category score 1 point for each symptom even if only one symptom within the category applies to you. Do not increase your score if you suffer from more than one of the symptoms in a category.

 

Mental States from Hyperventilation

Sensation of floating (feeling ‘spaced out’, ‘unreal’ or ‘distant’)

Difficulty with memory

Difficulty concentrating

Mental confusion (‘racing thoughts’)

Tension

Anxiety

Panic attacks

Fear of crowds, shops, queues, stuffy places, artificial lights, lifts, trains, underground trains, etc. Feel physically ill, tight-chested, prone to collapse when faced by the above situation

Temporary delusion

Seeing things that are not there (hallucination)

Quick temper

Quick/easy tears

Coma, stupor or convulsions-if hyperventilation is severe

 

Sleep

Vivid/frightening dreams

Waking in morning feeling ‘drugged’/headachy/fatigued/lethargic/with aching muscles

Waking in the night choking/breathless/panicky

Waking repeatedly soon after going to sleep

 

Eyes

Blurred or double vision

Distortion of perspective (‘the room tilts away’)

Sensitivity to bright lights

 

Ears

Vertigo (dizziness)

Tinnitus (ringing/buzzing in ears) which varies from hour to hour

Sounds seem distant or unusually loud

Sensitivity to loud noises

 

Nervous System

Lack of co-ordination/bumping into things/clumsiness ‘Tension headache/thick head/hangover-like state for large part of many days

Headache during ‘attacks’/caused by exercise

Migraine attacks

Numbness/’deadness’/tingling in extremities, limbs, lips, face, tongue

Feeling ‘electric’ – but not the electric shock one can get by making contact   with an object

Unpleasant sensations in skin/just below surface of the skin

Cold/burning/aching/ ‘creeping’ feeling, commonly in the thighs/buttocks/ feet but maybe other parts of body

 

Autonomic Nervous System

Emotional sweating/sweaty palms/armpits

Easily blushing or going very pale

Cold hands/feet (when rest of body is warm)

Raynaud’s disease

 

Respiratory System

Unreasonable breathlessness/air hunger/feeling of restricted chest

‘I do exercises to improve my breathing’

‘I do not breather enough/breathe deeply enough’

‘Sometimes I stop breathing/have to remember to breath’

Frequent sighs/yawns

Cigarette smoke provokes other symptoms listed on this chart

Singing voice becomes off-key/tuneless/husky

Speaking/singing loudly provokes symptoms listed on this chart

Speaking voice goes husky/feels strained

Throat dry/’rough’/sore

Asthma attacks now/in the past

 

Heart

Rapid, slow or irregular heartbeat

Blood-pressure changes easily

Dull pain/ache in center of chest

Angina/ coronary pain, but medical investigations prove negative

Profound/ frequent fainting spells

 

Muscles

Weakness/fatigue

Exercise has to stop due to sudden unreasonable exhaustion

Sudden loss of strength

Hard exercise improves symptoms

Muscles feel stiff or ‘in spasm’

Muscles ache (feeling ‘beaten up’ or as if ‘been in a fight’)

Tense jaw muscles (may cause headache)

Muscle tremors

Muscle twitching

Tightness around eyes/mouth

 

Throat

Globus (sensation of pressure or lump in throat or at root of neck)

Sensation of restricted throat

Difficulty swallowing

 

Gastrointestinal System

Excessive belching, swallowing air

Discomfort/tension/sinking feeling/distress just below tip of breast-bone

Distended stomach

During attacks of other symptoms: urgent/uncontrolled bowel movement

 

Urinary Tract

Frequent need to pass urine

Discomfort at neck of bladder

Severe urge to pass urine/incontinence, when accompanied by any of the other symptoms in this table

 

Reproductive System

Orgasm during cult activities (‘unusual’ sexual practices)

Premature ejaculation

Sex provoking prolonged exhaustion

Sex improving all symptoms for a few hours

 

Interpretation of Hyperventilation Symptoms list

Less than 15: Unlikely to be due to overbreathing

15-20: Symptoms may be caused by hyperventilation

9 COMMENTS

  1. I wish that I knew all of this about hyperventilation about 40 years ago. I had so many of the symptoms you list. Out of the blue I started having panic attacks. My arms would get pins and needles and feel numb. I felt out of myself. My doctor had no idea what was wrong and thought it was “all in my head.” I suffered so intensely for the next
    25 years. Pure hell. If what you know now was known then, my life would have been so
    much different. Thank you for your newsletter.

  2. Now I know what the problem is!
    I was diagnosed with emphysema years ago and do whatever I can to get more oxygen into my system. Sometimes I obviously overdo it.
    THANK YOU1

    • Welcome Val.
      It’s interesting to note that the Buteyko system for asthma works very well and it about breathing LESS, which is too counter-intuitive for most MDs!
      Prof.

  3. Fascinating indeed, but what happens if over breathing becomes a learned behaviour, and you cannot get out of that cycle of overbreathing, panic, panic, can’t get enough air ( or the feeling of it).

    I would love some assistance here.

    Thank you

    • You have to “unlearn” Maria!
      Unfortunately, teachers of this who are good are few and far between.

  4. Wow, thank you Professor, for not just answering, but answering so quickly.

    I will keep looking for that teacher.

    Keep up the great work.

Comments are closed.

MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

Most Trending Articles

Related Articles