Hyperventilation Syndrome: what does it actually feel like?

Have you heard the term 'hyperventilation syndrome' but never known what it actually looks like? At the Breathing MOT we often see patients who display textbook symptoms of hyperventilation syndrome and assume something serious is wrong. For example, we recently worked with a patient who was breathless, dizzy, tingling fingers and convinced her heart or lungs weren't working properly.

Nothing structural was wrong.

Her breathing was.

We find that hyperventilation syndrome often gets misunderstood a lot. People assume it means panting or gasping for air. In reality it can be much quieter than that.

What's actually going on

Hyperventilation means breathing out more carbon dioxide (CO2) than your body needs. You might think of CO2 as just a waste gas but it plays an active role in how your body regulates blood vessels, oxygen delivery and your nervous system.

When you consistently breathe a bit too much, too fast, or too deeply, your CO2 levels drop below where they should naturally sit. Your body responds to this drop with a range of physical symptoms.

The symptoms that catch people out

This is where it can get confusing for patients, because the symptoms rarely look like a "breathing problem" on the surface.

Low CO2 can cause:

• Dizziness or light-headedness

• Tingling in the fingers, lips or face

• Chest tightness or a racing heart

• Feeling like you can't get a satisfying breath, even though you're breathing enough

• Fatigue and poor concentration

• Cold hands and feet

It's common for patients to visit A&E, see their GP or undergo cardiac investigations before their breathing pattern is considered. This is entirely understandable because these symptoms genuinely mimic other conditions. Ruling out anything serious should always come first.

Not everyone with a breathing pattern disorder hyperventilates

Hyperventilation syndrome is one type of breathing pattern disorder but it's not the only one. Some people breathe too shallow. Some breathe irregularly. Some hold their breath without realising.

Hyperventilation syndrome specifically involves that pattern of over-breathing and the low CO2 symptoms that come with it. If you don't recognise these symptoms in yourself, that doesn't rule out a breathing pattern disorder. It just means yours might look different.

What triggers it

Stress and anxiety are common triggers, but hyperventilation syndrome isn't purely psychological. It can develop after:

• A period of illness or infection

• Chronic pain

• Habitual mouth breathing

• Simply learning an inefficient breathing pattern over time, often without any single trigger

Once the pattern is established, it tends to persist even after the original trigger has resolved. This is often the most difficult part for patients to understand. Your breathing has 'learned' a habit and habits don't correct themselves simply because the underlying stress or trigger has passed.

What to do about it

If any of this sounds familiar, the first step is finding out what's actually happening with your breathing. That's exactly what a Breathing MOT assessment is for. We look at your breathing pattern, your triggers and your symptoms and work out whether a breathing pattern disorder is part of the picture.

You don't need a referral and you don't need to have "failed" other tests first. If your breathing feels off and nobody's given you a clear answer, book an assessment and let's find out why.

Book at thebreathingmot.com, email info@thebreathingmot.com or call 020 7971 1464.