Do I Have Hyperventilation?

Do you breathe fast and deeply?

Do you feel lightheaded, dizzy, weak, or unable to think straight?

Do you feel as if you can't catch your breath?

Do you have chest pain or fast and pounding heartbeat?

Do you have belching or bloating?

Do you have dry mouth?

Do you have muscle spasms in your hands and feet?

Do you have numbness and tingling in your arms or around your mouth?

Do you have problems sleeping?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have hyperventilation. Hyperventilation is a condition that refers to fast and deep breathing. As you breathe, there is a healthy balance between the amount of oxygen you inhale and the amount of carbon dioxide you exhale. However, with hyperventilation, this balance is disturbed because you exhale more carbon dioxide than normal, which results in reduced levels of carbon dioxide in the blood and symptoms of hyperventilation, such as dizziness and tingling in your fingers. Hyperventilation can even leave you breathless, and in the most severe cases can cause loss of consciousness.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have hyperventilation. Hyperventilation is a condition characterized by rapid and deep breathing. It usually occurs in response to emotional stress such as panic attacks, anxiety, anger or depression. In most people, it happens only occasionally. However, if you often hyperventilate, we can say that you have hyperventilation syndrome. You can prevent episodes of hyperventilation by breathing exercises, meditation (or some other method of relaxation) as well as regular exercise. Sometimes, hyperventilation can be caused by medical problems such as infection or bleeding, in which case it becomes a medical emergency.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have hyperventilation. Hyperventilation refers to breathing that is faster and deeper than normal. It can happen suddenly (caused by acute stress) or it can be an ongoing problem in people with asthma or emphysema. Many women experience hyperventilation during pregnancy, which usually resolves on its own after delivery. The goal of treatment is to restore normal breathing rate and blood carbon dioxide levels. Hyperventilation can often be controlled by proper breathing techniques such as pursed-lip breathing (inhale through your nose, purse your lips as if blowing into a candle, and exhale slowly through your lips).