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The doctor may prescribe:

examination and assessment of respiratory rate;

ECG, chest X-ray or CT scan;

blood tests (including gas composition);

spirography (study of external respiratory function);

hyperventilation test (in the interictal period).
Treatment depends on the cause:

for psychogenic forms - psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, if necessary - antidepressants or tranquilizers;

in somatic diseases - therapy of the underlying disease;

breathing exercises and lifestyle modifications (stress reduction, avoiding stimulants, eating a balanced diet).

Important: If symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor to determine the cause of the condition.

Before consulting a specialist, during an attack you can try:

Slow down your breathing: about 1 breath every 10 seconds.

Practice diaphragmatic breathing (from the abdomen), making the exhalation twice as long as the inhalation.

Breathe through one nostril (while pinching the other).
Note: Previously, it was recommended to breathe into a paper bag to increase CO levels.
2

This method is currently considered dangerous due to the risk of oxygen deficiency. It's best not to use it without a doctor's direct orders.

Hyperventilation is a condition in which breathing becomes rapid and/or deep, causing too much carbon dioxide ($\text{CO}_2$) to be eliminated from the body. As a result, its concentration in the blood decreases, and hypocapnia develops *.

How it works

With hyperventilation:

1. Due to frequent/deep breathing, the $\text{CO}_2$ level in the blood drops.
2. This shifts the acid-base balance (* respiratory alkalosis occurs).
3. Hemoglobin releases oxygen to tissues less effectively, despite its sufficient level in the blood, and relative hypoxia occurs *.
4. Blood vessels (including cerebral) narrow, the volume of circulating blood decreases.
5. Biochemical metabolic processes are disrupted, the concentration of electrolytes changes, nerve conduction suffers.

Main reasons

Hyperventilation can be caused by:

• Psychoemotional factors *: stress, anxiety, panic attacks, hysteria.
• Diseases *:
• lung diseases (asthma, COPD, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, etc.);
  *cardiac pathologies (heart failure, infarction);
• infectious processes (sepsis);
  *ketoacidosis (including in pregnant women);
• neurological disorders.
• *External influences *:
• severe pain;
  *drug overdose (eg, acetylsalicylic acid);
• use of stimulants;
  *prolonged use of a ventilator or improper use of inhalers.

Symptoms

During an attack, the following may be observed:

• rapid or difficult breathing;
  *a feeling of tightness, pain or heaviness in the chest;
• dizziness, blurred vision (spots before the eyes), tinnitus;
  *tingling, numbness, or cramping in the fingers and toes;
• dry mouth;
  *chills or hot flashes;
• anxiety, fear of death;
  disorientation, in severe cases - loss of consciousness.