why?

[crazychick]

can anyone explain why your hands and feet go numb during a panic attack? i know its related to hyperventilating but how exactly i'm not sure.

[Karen]

Try these posts:

Pins/needles, tingling
Pins and Needles & Tingling (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1982)
I Hate It !!!!!!!!!!1 (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5745)
pins and needles (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6418)
numbness?? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6456)
Tingling, scared tumor or stoke? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6883)
New User - Pressure in head (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6858)
tingling (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7044)


Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey

[crazychick]

thanks Karen, its nice to know other peoples hands and feet etc go numb and get pins and needles as well. is there an actual reason for it? why does it only happen when i hyperventilte? i always panic i have a circulation problem or something.

[Karen]

The most important thing to understand about hyperventilation is that although it can feel as if you don't have enough oxygen, the opposite is true. It is a symptom of too much oxygen.

When you hyperventilate, you do not give your body long enough to retain carbon dioxide, and so your body cannot use the oxygen you have. This causes you to feel as if you are short of air, when actually you have too much. This leads to pins and needles, among other symptoms.

Also read the section on hyperventilation[/url on the home pages.

Practising breathing techniques to return to a normal rate of breathing will help this pass. Try the breathing techniques mentioned here:

[url="http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4042"]How Do You Do The Breathing (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=symptoms)
Breathing.. wow (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4037)
Breathing Techniques (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4044)
CONTROLLED BREATHING (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5041)
Working to get better, have a few Q's to ask... (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5412)
Insatiable Mouth / Chest Breather???? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7113)


Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey

[nicola]

I think it has something to do with the body preserving oxygen for the essential organs like the heart so the extremeties of the body - arms, feet etc do not receive as much oxygen so get numb or feel tingly.

[crazychick]

thank you. i think i find it harder to deal with when i do not understand what is happening but having an explanation may help me during the next dreaded attack.

[Dave]

Can anyone explain why the heart rate increases so much during hyperventilation, seeing as there is too much oxygen in the body?

[nomorepanic]

that is to pump it around more quickly I would imagine

Nicola

[crazychick]

thank you for the information - its quite helpful. do you know where i would find anymore information out about hyperventilation? i sometimes think if i can understand it more then i will deal with it better.