Hyperventilation

Hyperventilation occurs when breathing becomes very shallow and extremely rapid as a result of stress, anxiety or fear. This causes an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body which may require medical treatment. It is important to remember that some serious medical conditions can also cause rapid and shallow breathing any individual which displays such symptoms should always be examined by a doctor.

The victim may complain of:

• A choking feeling or inability to breathe properly
• Tightness of the chest
• Extreme fear and apprehension
• Tingling and spasm in the fingers and/or toes
• Dizziness or an inability to move
  

Look for:

• Confusion
• Rapid and shallow breathing
• Claw-like finger spasms
  

What you should do:

• Reassure the victim that his symptoms will disappear once his breathing returns to normal. Keep any bystanders away to reduce stress.
• Try to help the victim by counting out loud together to slow down his breathing rate. Deliberately set a slow rate and tell the victim to breathe on your count. DO NOT use a paper bag for rebreathing because this can cause serious complications.
• If the victim cannot be calmed or continues to have breathing difficulty or severe finger spasms, call for an ambulance.