Panic symptoms were all important thousands of years ago when mankind lived in primitive settlements, having anxiety was all important as it increased adrenalin levels and aided in basic survival. When anxiety stress is present, the human body reacts by increasing the speed of the heart beat and raises blood pressure which helps the survival response. Unfortunately, in modern society these responses are unwelcome.
Panic symptoms develop in two quite separate areas of the brain – the amygdala and the hippocampus. If stress is at reasonable levels then the body is said to be in a normal state and this state does not have adverse effects on the body in a modern society. The problem arises when panic symptoms become excessive which then leads to health issues.
The first stage of panic symptoms can be simple depression. This can develop in two main forms. The first is called agitated depression which is the most common form which has noticeable panic symptoms. The second is called akathitic depression which does not have any noticeable panic symptoms. These conditions usually start with a person having a phobia. An irrational view of everyday objects or events can lead to a raised level of irrational fear.
Some key indicators of agitated depression include irregular sleep patterns, breathing problems, dizziness, and a more definite sense of doom and a fear of death. The common treatment among modern medical science is to prescribe antidepressants but they can have negative effects and a natural or holistic way should be preferred wherever possible. Treatment greatly helps to find the root causes of the problem and eventually leads to finding a way of dealing with them.
Depression is certainly a complex condition, but it has been demonstrated that panic symptoms are a key factor in a lot of cases. It is therefore important to bear the connection between depression and panic symptoms in mind when deciding on treatment.
February 28th, 2010Medical SymptomsRead More >No Comments
One of the best ways to help with panic symptoms is to try natural holistic methods of alleviating the panic attack.
Panic attacks come on quite suddenly and are very intense periods of anxiety and fear which are combined with physical effects such as an acute shortness of breath, heart murmurs, hyperventilation, feeling “pins and needles”, sickness, and an in extreme cases an overriding fear of death. Quite when an attack reaches its highest intensity varies from person to person. This can be anywhere between a few minutes to several hours before panic symptoms subside. The frequency of an attack can also vary from occurring every few days to only occurring once a year.
What to do during an attack
It is best to try to take care of the panic symptoms whilst an attack is actually taking place. The best method for doing this is a natural holistic method. For instance, the person whilst having an attack should try to recall happy pleasant memories perhaps from childhood when times were a lot happier. A common way for people to be helped into remembering childhood experiences is by aromatherapy. The brain associates happy times with pleasant smells and it only takes a few sniffs of a familiar smell to help reduce a panic attack. This is one step towards ending the repeat cycle of attacks.
One of the most common odors which are comforting to people is the smell of baby powder which reminds them of carefree and comforting times. Added to this are other childhood smells which vary from person to person depending on where they were brought up. For instance, the smells of the seaside might help a person remember fond times playing on the beach or the smell of woodland would help with people who used to have vacations in the countryside. The exact smells which help with panic symptoms will vary from person to person.
Most people will be surprised by the fact that the last thing you should do during an attack is to sit down. The reason for this is that the body experiences much higher adrenaline levels during a panic attack. It therefore follows that if you are having an adrenaline rush then you should try to burn it off by exercising rather than let the levels build up. You should go for a moderately strenuous walk which will be of great help. Indeed, it has been found that exercise generally, that is daily exercise and not just exercising during an attack, helps people recover more quickly from panic symptoms than people who take little or no daily exercise.
February 28th, 2010Medical SymptomsRead More >No Comments
Asthma symptoms, like many illnesses is not the easiest thing to diagnose. The symptoms can be caused by many different problems. It’s up to the professional who understands bronchial and pulmonary illnesses to accurately diagnose asthma symptoms.
To fully understand the symptoms of asthma, it is important for you to understand that it’s more than simply – difficulty in breathing and coughing.
But these are not really the only symptoms of asthma, because mostly everyone (including those that don’t have any asthma related condition) to occasionally have difficulty in breathing and also sometimes experience cough.
Does this mean they have asthma? Not at all.
So, it is not enough to say the symptoms of asthma are mainly difficulty in breathing and coughing.
Agreed, these two could be some of the symptoms but not all the symptoms. A medical doctor can understand the other symptoms including the construction of the bronchial air passages that keep the victim from being able to breath.
Below are the general symptoms of asthma… in order of their occurrence:
. It can start with very severe sneezing and cough,
. Runny nose and itchy throat.
. Shortness of breath that gradually builds up and leads to difficulty in speaking,
. Gasping for breath while talking,
. Tightening of the victim’s chest,
. Loud wheezing (raspy or whistling sound when breathing) and a more intensified coughing,
. Flared nostrils of victims and tightening of the neck muscles.
. Bluish lips of the victims and fingernails.
At this display of these last symptoms of asthma, it is a serious indication of danger. Blue lips and fingernails are an indication that the person isn’t getting enough oxygen to deliver into the bloodstream.
Whenever you experience any 3 or more of the above symptoms of asthma, then you should know the situation could be dangerous to the victim.
Be vigilant however as many of these same symptoms can be caused by simple allergies. Once again however, it’s important to recognize the symptoms and the severity to determine the right course of action. If in doubt, immediately seek medical attention for the person in distress.
Some people are very lucky to notice the early symptoms of asthma before it becomes critical; while some don’t even see it coming until it suddenly hits them… and brings them to their knees.
Be on the look out for the above symptoms of asthma… so that you can stay protected all the time and be able to quickly take the necessary medication when it occurs.
February 21st, 2010Medical SymptomsRead More >No Comments