Do you ever feel like you can’t take a deep breath?
Ever feel like you have a lump in your throat that just won’t go away? Anxiety disorders can cause you to feel what seems like millions of symptoms and sensations. The feeling that you can’t breathe right is a very common one.
So your sitting there minding your own business when all of a sudden you feel like you can’t expand your chest all the way. You yawn and sigh so that you can suck in more air, but as soon as you stop doing that you’re right were you started. So what the heck is going on?
Well, first let me just say that if you are talking to loved ones or friends and asking them why you can’t breathe then be confident that your life is not on the line as it takes lots of air to talk.
More importantly, if you have had this issue and have not been seen by a doctor then go as soon as you can. This is not to startle you but to give you peace of mind. Go to the doctor for a check up and if all is well then you have a nerves problem and not a breathing one.
If it is your anxiety causing this you can chalk it up to hyperventilation. Hyperventilation is just a really long word that means that you are breathing too much, too fast, or both. Sometimes when we are stressed, or filled with anxiety, we begin to breathe faster without even knowing it and this leads to the sense that you cannot catch your breath, perhaps even numbness, dizziness, headaches and faintness.
You might feel like there is something stuck in your airway and that you’re going to suffocate. Very normal!
If you are in the throws of a hyperventilation attack what can you do? Well there is the oldest trick in the book which calls for a good old paper bag. You start by breathing into the paper bag while at the same time slowing your breathing rate. This helps to increase your carbon dioxide levels and lowers blood ph so that you can calm down. But what if your not flailing around and still can’t breathe?
There are two types of “breathing too fast” conditions called chronic and acute hyperventilation syndrome or HVS . The acute variety of HVS is characterized by fast, shallow breathing. The chronic type of HVS is similar but without the panic symptoms. You feel like you can’t breathe yet you appear normal.
The important thing to remember however is that whether it is too much air, fast air, or anything in the middle, you must slow your breathing. I know this sounds easy, but it’s not. Try looking at the seconds on your watch and take a deep slow breath in for 7 seconds and breathe out for 4 seconds. If this makes you feel whoozy then try 5 seconds in and 4 seconds out. This is known as the so-called 7-11 breathing technique.
So your breathing real slow and still feel like you can’t breathe? It could also be heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease otherwise known as GERD. That’s right, believe it or not heartburn can make you feel like you can’t take a deep breath, clear your throat or even stop burping. So make sure you see your doctor so that you understand the why and how to treat the why.
When you have an anxiety disorder is it so easy to lose control and let fast shallow breathing become a full blown panic attack. The key is to slow your breathing, eat right (heartburn) and to accept even these scary symptoms.
Trust me when I say that these symptoms can be disturbing but will not harm you. Always be prepared with as much information as possible so when it happens again you know what’s going on and how to cope with it.
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Symptoms of panic attacks like palpitations, too much sweating and trembling, chills, shortness of breathing, chest pains, dizziness, lack of sensation or numbness should be taken note of. While such symptoms of panic attacks are seen ahead of time, they should not be taken for granted.
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a phenomenon i found was that when upper body muscles are worked out in the gym, the chest becomes tight and breathing is slightly restricted. This causes anxiety and further enforces tightening of chest. Anyone with the symptoms? Again it is not a exercise induced breathlessness for i am perfectly well able to jog for 3 km.
I all the sudden had an hyperventilation attack on night went to the hospital and they said my lungs sounded good and gave me a breathing treatment. Went home went to bed woke up okay and boom more bulls*#$t. Im getting so sick of this I don’t even want to leave the house. Its haunting me. The first night it happened I quite smoking cigarettes and everything. Now I’m still short of breath finding myself doing the same stupid breathing techniques its almost not even worth living. I need serious help. But when the doctor just dismisses it as nothing too important I just feel lost.
Sensorimotor OCD. Research it. Therapy can greatly help you. The harder you fight it, the worse it will become, similar to any symptom in the OCD spectrum. Anxiety blows.
I googled “what builds up anxiety?” And anxietyguru.net came up. The reason I did that was because I am 28 year girl who has been on Effexor for 1 year and I’ve tried Zoloft, and none of them make my chest tightness, etc pain go away. My psychiatrist is tapering me down from Effexor because it’s not working at all, I’m just suffering from the pain of the withdraws. Reading all of the articles are very helpful and help me understand even more about anxiety. Thank you!!!
Wake up and feel like a elephant is sitting on my chest . Test run . Everything’s ok. Found out needed to be on a c- pap machine . I would stop breathing . Did well for awhile . 2 years later anxiety again , can’t figure it out . Try to go to sleep , put my nasal mask on and anxiety starts . Scared not going to breathe .
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Another cause can be food allergies. last july i ingested peanuts and was allergic to it, and could not breathe properly for two months, but could exercise normally. Then again i ingested some pantoprazole same issues, then some cetrizine same issues, then artificially ripened bananas, ditto, then some papaya artificially ripenened same issues, the sort of foods that we find is all adulterated, and can cause food allergies. The best part is that when i am awake doing nothing, focussing on my breathing, it becomes worse, when i am distracted, going off to sleep, it disappears. I jog for about a 1 km a day and do weights traiining and all the symptoms disappear. It is only when when you have exercise intolerance that you need to worry else, just ignore it and it will disappear within a few days time. Last week i ingested mangoes and water melons all adulterated and within minutes i was short of breath albeit mild, i am still recovering, my children had the same symptoms.