Panic attack symptoms and treatment

Panic attacks are very common, affecting twice as many women as men. This video goes over some of the symptoms that someone may experience during a panic attack. Although not life threatening, a person can truly feel like they are dying. A thorough medical evaluation is initially needed to rule out serious conditions that can mimic panic including heart attack, heart rhythm abnormality, blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism) and collapsed lung. After excluding serious causes, the patient can then learn to self-treat these attacks with deep breathing techniques, visual imagery (ie: picturing oneself on a tropical beach), muscle relaxation and breathing into a paper bag to raise the carbon dioxide level in the blood (thereby decreasing tingling, dizziness and slowing the breathing rate). Sometimes patients will need cognitive behavioral therapy and/or medication to control their symptoms…Richard R Samuel, MD Family Practice and Urgent Care Hayden, ID USA