Questions To Ask Your Doctor
Asking questions and providing information to your doctor or health care provider can improve your care. Talking with your doctor builds trust and leads to better results, quality, safety, and satisfaction. Visit the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website for tips at .
Recommended Reading: How Long Do Anxiety Attacks Last
What To Do For Asthma Attacks When You Dont Have An Inhaler
Here are some home remedies to manage an asthma attack without an inhaler.
Sit upright
Sitting up straight helps to open up your airways. Bending or lying down can constrict your airways even further and worsen your asthma symptoms.
Practice deep breathing
Take long, slow, deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Try to prevent hyperventilation with short, fast breaths. Learn some breathing exercises. These exercises can make breathing easier and help reduce breath tightness and other asthma symptoms. Examples include pursed lips breathing, belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and yoga breathing.
Try to stay calm
Anxiety can cause chest tightness and make it even harder for you to breathe. Try to remain as calm as possible during an asthma attack. Of course, this is easier said than done when youre gasping for air. It may help to play some music or distract yourself by watching TV while waiting for the asthma attack to subside or for medical help to arrive.
Remove yourself from asthma triggers
Common triggers of asthma attacks include pet dander, cigarette smoke, air pollution, and cold weather. These triggers can not only cause an asthma attack but also make your symptoms worse. If possible, avoid triggers and remove yourself from a trigger when youre having an attack. Move to an area with clean air, preferably an air-conditioned environment, during an asthma attack.
Drink a warm, caffeinated beverage
Tips For When You Dont Have An Inhaler
Mild to moderate asthma attacks can occur at inopportune times. You may be able to manage your asthma more effectively with these tips. If these dont work CALL AN AMBULANCE.
You May Like: How To Beat Cancer Phobia
What Are The Symptoms Of A Panic Attack And Panic Disorder
A panic attack may cause a feeling of intense fear, terror, or anxiety. Other symptoms include trouble breathing, chest pain or tightness, and a fast or irregular heartbeat.
When you have panic disorder, you have repeated, unexpected panic attacks. And you may worry that you’ll have another attack. Because of this fear, you may change your daily activities to avoid situations that may trigger it.
Stage : Age Associated Memory Impairment
This stage features occasional lapses of memory most frequently seen in:
- Forgetting where one has placed an object
- Forgetting names that were once very familiar
Oftentimes, this mild decline in memory is merely normal age-related cognitive decline, but it can also be one of the earliest signs of degenerative dementia. At this stage, signs are still virtually undetectable through clinical testing. Concern for early onset of dementia should arise with respect to other symptoms.
Don’t Miss: How Many Different Types Of Eating Disorders Are There
You Answered Yes To Question
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you might have panic disorder or panic symptoms. Panic attacks can be very scary, and it is normal to feel initially concerned about these sensations. Panic disorder affects about 2-3% of people in the United States per year, so you are not alone. The good news is that panic disorder can be successfully treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which will help you learn how to effectively manage your panic disorder. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, and they are negatively interfering with your life, it might be time to seek help.
It will be important to begin with a structured psychiatric evaluation by a professional to see if you meet criteria for panic disorder, which will inform your treatment plan. Our mental health impacts many aspects of our lives, such as our physical health and our quality of life, which is why it is so important to address any mental health problems with effective treatments.
This material is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed professional. To begin your search for a mental health professional, go to the ADAAâs Therapist Directory.
Company
Anxiety Attacks And Severity
What makes anxiety attacks unique is that even though they are a mental health issue, it is often the physical symptoms that get the most attention, This is what those without anxiety often struggle to understand. Anxiety attacks cause intense physical symptoms that mimic serious health disorders. Symptoms include:
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
- Rapid heartbeat/heart palpitations
In many ways, anxiety attacks are similar to heart attacks. There may be other unusual issues as well, such as trouble with your vision, your teeth, your muscles, your nerves, and more. For example, some people experience weird jolts, others experience blurry vision, others experience tooth pain or hear unexplained noises.
Not all anxiety attacks are the same, but they all tend to be very physical and result in a feeling like something is terribly wrong.
What makes anxiety attacks worse is that they cause other symptoms that exacerbate the physical problems. One of the symptoms of anxiety attacks is this incredibly intense feeling of doom – as though something horrific is about to happen. That is actually a symptom of anxiety attacks, not just a response to the physical sensations, but when combined with the physical symptoms it can make a person convinced that they are about to suffer from something terrible.
Anxiety attacks also have other frightening psychological symptoms as well, such as:
Don’t Miss: Do Mood Stabilizers Help With Anxiety
Is Anxiety Bad For You
A little anxiety is fine, but long-term anxiety may cause more serious health problems, such as high blood pressure . You may also be more likely to develop infections. If youre feeling anxious all the time, or its affecting your day-to-day life, you may have an anxiety disorder or a panic disorder.
Symptoms Of A Panic Attack
All of a sudden, your chest feels tight and you find it hard to breathe. Your heart starts to race and you feel a wave of panic. Am I having a heart attack? Am I having a panic attack? How do I know if its a panic attack or a heart attack?
Experiencing these symptoms can be very scary. While many people may think they are having a heart attack, they may actually be experiencing a panic attack. These two conditions are very different but have some symptoms that overlap, so, in the moment, it can be confusing to know exactly what is happening. Heres what you need to know about a panic attack versus a heart attack and what can cause either one.
A panic attack is a sudden burst of intense anxiety that has physical symptoms. Panic attacks can come on suddenly with no apparent reason as to why. They may last anywhere from just a few minutes to a few hours. Most commonly, they go away within 20 to 30 minutes. Studies show that panic attacks are quite common, as up to 35% of people will experience one at some point in their life.
During a panic attack, you may feel a number of physical symptoms, including:
- An irregular or racing heartbeat, or heart palpitations
- A ringing in your ears
- A tingling feeling in your fingers
Also Check: Does Low Testosterone Cause Depression
People On Taking Adhd Meds
Anxiety can be helpful when it causes us to pay attention to dangerous situations. It evolved originally to keep us safe. Anxiety might manifest as racing thoughts, a rapid pulse or even an upset stomach. Typically, however, it doesnt prevent you from consistently and successfully carrying on with your everyday activities.
Diagnosis
People who worry occasionally about regular situations or specific events have run-of-the-mill anxiety, which almost everyone experiences. If you live with a general, persistent feeling of dread, however, you might have an anxiety disorder, and there are several types. People with generalized anxiety disorder, for example, may feel constantly on edge, irritable and unable to sleep.
Treatment
For basic, occasional anxiety tied to life events or situations, techniques like deep breathing, acupuncture, meditation and yoga are a good place to start for relief.
For people with more severe anxiety or an anxiety disorder, doctors often recommend psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which can train you to respond differently to stressful situations.
Another option for treating an anxiety disorder is medication. SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, like Zoloft or Prozac, can help people feel less anxious.
Preventing A Further Attack
It may help to:
- read a self-help book for anxiety based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy ask your GP to recommend one
- try complementary therapies such as massage and aromatherapy, or activities like yoga and pilates, to help you relax
- learn breathing techniques to help ease symptoms
- do regular physical exercise to reduce stress and tension
- avoid sugary food and drinks, caffeine and alcohol, and stop smoking, as all they can all make attacks worse
For more help, read how to deal with panic attacks.
Don’t Miss: How To Tell If You Have Bipolar
Anxiety Attack Symptoms Include:
- Nausea or stomach cramps.
- Feeling detached or unreal.
Its important to seek help if youre starting to avoid certain situations because youre afraid of having a panic attack. The truth is that panic attacks are highly treatable. In fact, many people are panic free within just 5 to 8 treatment sessions.
A Note About Sex And Gender
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article will use the terms, male, female, or both to refer to sex assigned at birth. .
A doctor or mental health professional can diagnose a panic attack, panic disorder, or anxiety disorder.
They base their diagnoses on definitions in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition .
These professionals cannot diagnose an anxiety attack because it is not a clinically defined condition in the DSM-5. They can, however, recognize the symptoms of anxiety and diagnose an anxiety disorder.
A doctor will discuss symptoms and life events to diagnose any of these conditions. They may also perform a psychological evaluation to determine which category the symptoms fall into.
It may be necessary to rule out physiological conditions that share similar symptoms.
To do this, a doctor may perform:
- a physical examination
Recommended Reading: Is Homophobia A Real Phobia
Who Is This Anxiety Quiz For
Below is a list of questions designed for people who are experiencing anxiety-inducing thoughts. The questions relate to life experiences common among people who have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder .
Please read each question carefully, and indicate how often you have experienced the same or similar challenges in the past few months.
Theres Definitely Life After Panic Attacks
Sideman says that his recovery has also made him a better friend. While he was struggling with anxiety, he would call friends for help. As he recovered, he realized that he could cope on his own and would then call them to share his success.
I changed the way I talked about my condition, he says. Now, I focus on my recovery, not my suffering.
Also Check: Does Gad Cause Panic Attacks
How To Tell If Youre Having A Panic Attack
Panic attacks can be absolutely terrifying. The first time I experienced one, I thought I was going to die my heart rate elevated, I began to sweat, and I couldn’t find the words to tell my partner what was happening. Then, within a few minutes, the more severe of the symptoms were gone, though I was left feeling depleted. I was completely terrified by the incident.
It’s not always clear what a panic attack is when you’re experiencing it, and so I spoke with Susanne Cooperman, a neuropsychologist and psychoanalyst at NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group in Huntington Station, New York, about signs and triggers of panic attacks as well as how to treat them.
Behavior Scale: How To Judge Severity
- Mild Symptoms: Symptoms do not keep the child from any normal activities. School, play, relationships and sleep have not changed. Treatment: parenting groups or books.
- Moderate Symptoms: Symptoms keep the child from doing some normal activities. New behaviors mainly happen at home. They affect how the child and parent interact. They may also keep him or her from going to child care or school. Your child may not sleep well because of these symptoms. Treatment: most often, brief counseling from a mental health provider or your childs doctor.
- Severe Symptoms: Symptoms keep the child from doing most normal activities. They affect the way the child acts with parents. Symptoms also impact relations with siblings and friends. Adults at child care or school may also be impacted by the childs actions. Treatment: these patients often need to be seen urgently by a mental health provider.
Don’t Miss: How Do Eating Disorders Start
Why Do I Feel Anxious And Panicky
Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear. Everyone feels anxious at some point in their life, but for some people it can be an ongoing problem.
A little bit of anxiety can be helpful for example, feeling anxious before an exam might make you more alert and improve your performance. But too much anxiety could make you tired and unable to concentrate.
How Parents Can Help Their Kids With Asthma Avoid Serious Attacks
DALLAS Oct. 11, 2022 Changes in weather that accompany the return to school each fall can create a challenging environment for children who suffer from asthma, the most common pediatric chronic illness.
Tanya Martinez-Fernandez, M.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern who specializes in pulmonology and sleep medicine, recommends a number of steps parents can take to reduce the risk of their kids having serious asthma attacks.
Asthma causes inflammation in the lungs, coughing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and wheezing, and can be life-threatening if not effectively managed. Nearly 7% of Texas children and more than 6 million kids in the U.S. have asthma.
Dr. Martinez-Fernandez said asthma attacks and ER visits typically increase in September, when viral illnesses, allergies, and environmental factors put youngsters at elevated risk. She offered the following tips for parents:
UT Southwestern and Childrens Health have North Texas only academic-affiliated severe asthma program for children from birth to 18.
Our Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy physicians, as well as our advanced practice providers, have in-depth knowledge of evaluating and treating children with asthma and allergies, Dr. Martinez-Fernandez said. Working with parents, we help kids avoid triggers, maintain a healthy body weight, stay active, and manage their asthma throughout their childhood.
About UT Southwestern Medical Center
Also Check: How Does Bipolar Ionization Work
Example : A Concerning Level Of Anxiety
The second example describes an individual experiencing worry and depending on the level of distress and functional impairment caused, may indicate that treatment for anxiety might be helpful.
Worry is a mental activity that, somewhat counterintuitively, functions as an anxiety avoidance strategy, though its one that doesnt work very well. Its hard to simply stop worrying.
Typically, when individuals find themselves stuck in a worry cycle, learning acceptance and mindfulness skills from acceptance-based behavior therapy can be useful.
You Feel Exhausted Afterward
People who have panic attacks quickly deplete the resources their bodies have marshaled to fend off the presumed danger. Sooner or later, that burst of energy, fueled by a spike in blood sugar, will get spent and “they’re going to crash,” Hunter explained.
After the panic attack subsides, he said, they feel “wiped out.”
While they tend to be terrifying, the good news is panic attacks can be easy to spot if you know what to look out for. And just because you experience a panic attack doesn’t mean it will happen again. If you’re concerned about future occurrences, reach out to your health care provider and come up with a plan so you feel empowered to deal with those sensations should they arise.
Also Check: How Does It Feel To Have A Panic Attack
How Can I Prevent Panic Attacks
Your healthcare provider can help you identify triggers that bring on panic attacks. During psychotherapy, you learn strategies to manage triggering events and prevent an attack. You can also take these actions to lower your odds of having a panic attack:
- Cut back on caffeine.
- Talk to your doctor before taking herbal supplements or over-the-counter medications. Certain substances can increase anxiety.