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Symptoms
The symptoms usually last 15 to 30 minutes, and can seem like hours to anyone having them.
Though very frightening for the patient and indeed for the onlooker, hyperventilation is not usually dangerous.
Breathing into a paper bag increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood and relieves the symptoms.Self help
- Loosely cover your nose and mouth with a small paper bag.
- Breathe slowly into the bag and rebreathe the air in the bag about 10 times.
- Set the bag aside and breathe normally for a couple of minutes.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the symptoms lessen or go away.
- Try to breathe slowly. Focus on taking one breath every 5 seconds.
Treatment
- Avoid becoming caught up in the panic (remain calm )
- Make direct eye contact, and speak clearly and slowly.
- Identify yourself if you're not known to the person.
- Give short clear instructions.
- Make calming gestures.
- Allow the casualty some space ( don't crowd them in )
- Minimize embarrassment and avoid an audience.
- Get them to sit down, if they aren't already.
- Sit with them at eye level
- Encourage them to breathe normally. ( talk them through the breathing cycle )
- Inhale, take in long slow deep breath. ( breathe with them )
- Hold breath for +1 seconds.
- Exhale slowly, ( pucker your lips like you're going to kiss )
- Tell them to relax in a clam voice, just before they reach the end of exhalation.
- Start a new breathing cycle while telling them how well they are doing.
- Continue encouraging them to breathe normally.
Try these breathing exercises on yourself first ! ( sitting or lying down )
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