Hyperventilation Symptoms
This post should be read and used after my other post on hyperventilation.
For each category score 1 point for each symptom even if only one symptom within the category applies to you. Do not increase your score if you suffer from more than one of the symptoms in a category.
Mental States from Hyperventilation
Sensation of floating (feeling ‘spaced out’, ‘unreal’ or ‘distant’)
Difficulty with memory
Difficulty concentrating
Mental confusion (‘racing thoughts’)
Tension
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Fear of crowds, shops, queues, stuffy places, artificial lights, lifts, trains, underground trains, etc. Feel physically ill, tight-chested, prone to collapse when faced by the above situation
Temporary delusion
Seeing things that are not there (hallucination)
Quick temper
Quick/easy tears
Coma, stupor or convulsions-if hyperventilation is severe
Sleep
Vivid/frightening dreams
Waking in morning feeling ‘drugged’/headachy/fatigued/lethargic/with aching muscles
Waking in the night choking/breathless/panicky
Waking repeatedly soon after going to sleep
Eyes
Blurred or double vision
Distortion of perspective (‘the room tilts away’)
Sensitivity to bright lights
Ears
Vertigo (dizziness)
Tinnitus (ringing/buzzing in ears) which varies from hour to hour
Sounds seem distant or unusually loud
Sensitivity to loud noises
Nervous System
Lack of co-ordination/bumping into things/clumsiness ‘Tension headache/thick head/hangover-like state for large part of many days
Headache during ‘attacks’/caused by exercise
Migraine attacks
Numbness/’deadness’/tingling in extremities, limbs, lips, face, tongue
Feeling ‘electric’ – but not the electric shock one can get by making contact with an object
Unpleasant sensations in skin/just below surface of the skin
Cold/burning/aching/ ‘creeping’ feeling, commonly in the thighs/buttocks/ feet but maybe other parts of body
Autonomic Nervous System
Emotional sweating/sweaty palms/armpits
Easily blushing or going very pale
Cold hands/feet (when rest of body is warm)
Raynaud’s disease
Respiratory System
Unreasonable breathlessness/air hunger/feeling of restricted chest
‘I do exercises to improve my breathing’
‘I do not breather enough/breathe deeply enough’
‘Sometimes I stop breathing/have to remember to breath’
Frequent sighs/yawns
Cigarette smoke provokes other symptoms listed on this chart
Singing voice becomes off-key/tuneless/husky
Speaking/singing loudly provokes symptoms listed on this chart
Speaking voice goes husky/feels strained
Throat dry/’rough’/sore
Asthma attacks now/in the past
Heart
Rapid, slow or irregular heartbeat
Blood-pressure changes easily
Dull pain/ache in center of chest
Angina/ coronary pain, but medical investigations prove negative
Profound/ frequent fainting spells
Muscles
Weakness/fatigue
Exercise has to stop due to sudden unreasonable exhaustion
Sudden loss of strength
Hard exercise improves symptoms
Muscles feel stiff or ‘in spasm’
Muscles ache (feeling ‘beaten up’ or as if ‘been in a fight’)
Tense jaw muscles (may cause headache)
Muscle tremors
Muscle twitching
Tightness around eyes/mouth
Throat
Globus (sensation of pressure or lump in throat or at root of neck)
Sensation of restricted throat
Difficulty swallowing
Gastrointestinal System
Excessive belching, swallowing air
Discomfort/tension/sinking feeling/distress just below tip of breast-bone
Distended stomach
During attacks of other symptoms: urgent/uncontrolled bowel movement
Urinary Tract
Frequent need to pass urine
Discomfort at neck of bladder
Severe urge to pass urine/incontinence, when accompanied by any of the other symptoms in this table
Reproductive System
Orgasm during cult activities (‘unusual’ sexual practices)
Premature ejaculation
Sex provoking prolonged exhaustion
Sex improving all symptoms for a few hours
Interpretation of Hyperventilation Symptoms list
Less than 15: Unlikely to be due to overbreathing
15-20: Symptoms may be caused by hyperventilation
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