Does hyperventilating actually work

[brandon_r_edson]

Like when you breathe into a bag or something, does that work??

[siafi]

When you are hyperventilating, you aren't getting enough carbon dioxide in your bloodstream. Breathing through a paper bag helps to increase the amount of carbon dioxide in your bloodstream because you are re-breathing the CO2 that you have breathed out. However, it is recommended now that you breathe through pursed lips instead of through a bag because the bag can cause too much CO2 in your bloodstream! So, I guess it would help as long as you don't overdo it.

[izzybee]

As siafi said, it helps to get enough Carbon dioxide into your bloodstream. I didnt know about doing itthrough pursed lips though, I've always wondered what would happen if you breathed too much C02 in.


BRANDON - Do you use this when you panic?

[brandon_r_edson]

I might start too, but how does the carbon dioxide suposed to help??

[symphonicfaith]

I'm confused... I thought that hyperventilating meant that you were getting too much oxygen, and that hypoventalating was not getting enough oxygen, or vice-versa. I thought that CO2 was a poisonous gas that our bodies didn't need, which is why we breathe it out. But then again, I didn't pay much attention in biology class [img]smileys/smilies_09.gif[/img] hehe...

[siafi]

When hyperventilating, you havequick, shallow breaths thatreduce the level of carbon dioxide in the blood. This reduced level of carbon dioxide causes the arteries to constrict, reducing the flow of blood throughout the body. When this occurs,the brain and body will experience a shortage of oxygen.


Symphonicfaith, you're right that carbon dioxide is definitely not something you can breath all by itself, but neither is oxygen! The air we breathe in is not actuallypure oxygen - carbon dioxide is in the air as well and it is in fact something that we need to live.

[brandon_r_edson]

Since no one is answering my question, I'll just answer it myself.





Why yes Brandon, it does make you feel better.

[mparker5]

LOL... Sorry no one was answering your question. [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]



I think, personally, when I'm panicking I usually see hyperventilating
as a bad side effect of the attack. In other words, if I get to the
point that I start to hyperventilate, it makes me feel even more
scared, because not only do I feel like I'm going to throw up, but now
my breathing isn't right either. I don't think it's something that can
help with an attack. Does that help?

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[symphonicfaith]

I think it's mostly in your head. If you think it's going to make you feel better, then it will. It's like most of our little ritualistic things that we do when we feel sick. They probably do absolutely nothing for nausea, but we convince ourselves that they do.


&lt;Zach&gt;

[pink_flamingo]

Well your brain is triggered to get more air when there is too much CO2 in the bloodstream. Funny that it isnt triggered by oxygen. So i guess by putting more CO2 in your bloodstream it would trigger your brain to breath normally

[Jenneh]

yes of course it makes u feel better.. i dont think its just psychological, altho im sure tht does play a part in it.


but if u are having a panic attack say, and its making u feel really really ill, then if u were to do the whole paper bag thing, then it wil eventualyl calm you down and stop u feeling quite as ill.


Jen xxx

[siafi]

haha, sorry brandon,I didn't understand your question, and I guess I still don't...are you asking if hyperventilating makes you feel better or breathing into a bag makes you feel better? I don't understand what you mean by "work"... but I can'timagine that anyone would think hyperventilation would make you feel better - personally it makes me feel lightheaded, sick, and thus MORE panicked! But maybe that's still not answering your question? I don't know. [img]smileys/smilies_05.gif[/img]

[julleri]

Yeah, we need CO2. If we were to breathe pure O2, we'd die. Weird, huh?