Take 6 to 12 easy, natural breaths, with a small paper bag held over your mouth and nose. This can lower blood and Low blood carbon dioxide causes many of the symptoms you have when you hyperventilate, like:Breathing into a paper bag is a technique that can help you regulate hyperventilation. This can decrease the amount of But isn’t less carbon dioxide good for you? Often in TV, a character who is panicking will be shown inhaling and exhaling into a paper bag to calm down. For approximately one year after being discharged from the hospital, no attacks occurred. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. © 2005-2020 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. However, it may not work for everyone.You can hyperventilate for many reasons, including some health conditions. In milder examples, it can be used to cure hiccups. While it's true that CO2 is a metabolic byproduct in the air you exhale, you still need to a minimum amount in your bloodstream to maintain your body's pH balance. Your use of this information means that you agree to the This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. How does breathing into a paper bag help hyperventilation? It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Your use of this information means that you agree to the © 1995-2019 Healthwise, Incorporated. Then remove the bag from your nose and mouth and take easy, natural breaths. Hyperventilation syndrome is most often associated with panic disorders.1 When a person has a panic attack, the psychological condition can make them breathe too fast, which causes the body to lose carbon dioxide(CO2). The thin plastic can get sucked into your mouth when you’re breathing in. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. In such a situation, one needs to breathe in fresh air as oxygen supply decreases. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Breathing into a paper bag has become a symbol of hyperventilating and anxiety attacks. It … Next, try belly-breathing (diaphragmatic breathing). Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. When you lose a significant amount of CO2 due to h… Other causes of hyperventilating include an asthma attack, fever, or other illnesses.Tell your healthcare provider or mental health professional if you have symptoms of an anxiety attack often or hyperventilate frequently. When you hyperventilate, you exhale too much air. This helps to balance oxygen flow in your body.However, breathing into a paper bag must be done properly and may not work for everyone. However, the hyperventilation attacks recurred when triggered by acute tonsillitis. In common man terms, hyperventilation is defined as a condition in which a person breathes very fast. But in terms of the medical language, it is the state in which the rate of alveolar ventilation of carbon dioxide is greater than the body’s normal production rate of the gas. Alternate these techniques until your hyperventilation stops. Her hyperventilation attacks gradually decreased in response to the paper-bag method or anxiolytic agents administered during hospitalization. Always use a small paper bag, not a plastic one. Hyperventilation or “overbreathing” happens when you have rapid or shallow breathing. It works by putting some of the lost carbon dioxide back into your lungs and body. Then remove the bag from your nose and mouth and take easy, natural breaths. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Using a paper bag for hyperventilation will help some of these issues, but not all. You may need other medical treatments, including oxygen therapy and medications.Call 911 if you hyperventilate for longer than 30 minutes or begin to lose consciousness. Actually Truth in Television, as breathing into a paper bag is a good way to reduce the symptoms of hyperventilation note, according to The Other Wiki. Medical research on using it to help hyperventilation is divided on whether it really works.To use a paper bag to help you breathe when you’re hyperventilating, follow these steps:Yes. If hyperventilation continues for longer than 30 minutes, This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is a common phenomenon that is seen quite a lot in day to day life.