How to Manage and Prevent Hyperventilation in COPD
How to Manage and Prevent Hyperventilation in COPD
COPD has many symptoms that can be quite scary. This can trigger a panic attack that usually comes with hyperventilation. Aside from common symptoms of fatigue and breathlessness, some COPD patients are more likely to experience hyperventilation.
What is hyperventilation?
Hyperventilation, sometimes called over-breathing, refers to very fast, deep breathing. When this happens, the normal amount of carbon dioxide in the blood decreases. Because there has to be a balance of gases in the blood, this decrease in carbon dioxide can cause troublesome symptoms.
Symptoms of hyperventilation
Aside from rapid, deep breathing, hyperventilation can be accompanied by the following symptoms:
● Palpitations
● Tingling sensations in the fingers or toes
● Weakness
● Feeling dizzy or light-headed
● Wheezing
● Profuse sweating
● A feeling of choking or suffocating
● Chest pain
● Anxiety or increased tension
● Feelings of panic
● Numbness in the hands, feet and mouth
● Ringing in the ears
● Loss of consciousness
Remember, symptoms vary from one person to another. This means that not all the above symptoms can be present during hyperventilation. Nevertheless, it’s important to check for the rate and depth of breathing.
Managing hyperventilation in COPD
There are various ways you can manage hyperventilation within the home. Here are some of them:
Holding your breath for 10-15 seconds
1. Find a comfortable position in a quiet corner of the house.
2. Hold your breath for about 10 to 15 seconds.
3. You can use a timer for this, or you can slowly count to 15 to estimate the time to hold your breath.
4. Exhale slowly.
5. Repeat for about 5-10 minutes.
Do pursed-lip breathing
1. Find a comfortable position in a quiet corner of the house.
2. Relax your shoulder and neck muscles to help release any tension.
3. Close your mouth and slowly inhale through your nose in two counts. Be sure to breathe as you normally would, avoiding breathing too fully or deeply.
4. Purse your lips as in a whistling position.
5. Slowly exhale through your pursed lips while counting to four.
6. Repeat the steps until hyperventilation ceases.
Do belly breathing (instead of breathing into your chest)
1. If it’s your first time to perform this technique, it’s best to do it in a lying-down position. Once you’re used to it, you can then perform it in a sitting or standing position.
2. Lie down and bend your knees with a pillow under your legs. This helps you get more comfortable and reduces strain on your back.
3. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose while allowing your abdomen to expand while you inhale. The diaphragm, or the muscle in between your lungs and abdomen, will do the work and push down into your belly.
4. To check if you’re doing it the right way, place a hand on your abdomen. This hand should rise and move outward every time you inhale.
5. Make sure that your chest doesn’t expand and that your neck, shoulder and ribs do not move.
6. Purse your lips (as in a whistling position) and exhale slowly, noticing that your abdomen pushes inward and upward.
7. Repeat the steps for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Breathing into a paper bag or cupped hands
1. Get a clean medium-sized paper bag. (Do not use a plastic bag!)
2. Find a comfortable sitting position in a quiet area.
3. Open the paper bag and hold it closely around your mouth and nose.
4. Breathe slowly into the paper bag. Try to think about other things or focus on good memories. If possible, ask a companion to talk to you to help distract you from feeling panicked or anxious.
5. Continue breathing into the paper bag for 5-8 minutes.
These different techniques help improve breathing patterns, relieve shortness of breath, promote relaxation, improve carbon dioxide balance and help slow the rate of breathing.
If you’ve tried these various techniques and symptoms of hyperventilation still don’t improve after 30 minutes, it’s best to go to the emergency room and get medical attention.
Preventing hyperventilation in COPD
Here are some tips you can do to help prevent episodes of hyperventilation. Most of these are actually very basic and are easy to follow.
● Opt for loose and comfortable clothing instead of tight-fitting clothes, as these can restrict breathing muscles and promote shallow breathing.
● Get lots of sleep and rest to reduce anxiety and stress that can trigger hyperventilation.
● Breathe through your nose and close your mouth. A closed mouth makes it difficult to hyperventilate.
● Exercise regularly and try adapting a relaxation technique as a habit. Tai chi, yoga and meditation are just some of these.
● Eat healthy and avoid drinks that contain caffeine like coffee, tea and soda. These can make you more anxious and can contribute to hyperventilation.
● Think positive! As cliché as it sounds, avoiding negative thought patterns and favoring positive ones can greatly help you be in control of your feelings and emotions. Remember, negative thoughts lead to anxiety, which leads to panic attacks and hyperventilation. Stopping negative thoughts in their tracks can reduce episodes of hyperventilation.
● Talk to your family and friends. Sharing your negative feelings can reduce stress and anxiety. If your anxiety gets difficult to deal with, it’s best to seek out professional counseling.
We hope that these tips and techniques will greatly help you manage and prevent hyperventilation!
Have you experienced hyperventilation episodes? What worked for you? Share it with us in the comments below!
