Tag: chest pain

Self-Help Treatment for Panic Attack

Although it is not advisable to diagnose yourself with panic attack, it is really not sensible to wait until your supposed “attack” is over before you do something about it. Here are the things you must know so that when you feel that you are having an attack, you know what to do:

Understand what panic attack is all about. Awareness is the most important weapon to combat panic attacks because when you feel or know that you are under an attack, it is much easier for you to counter the effects of the symptoms that go along with it. Remember this: panic attacks can happen to anyone. It can happen to stressed and depressed person as well as happy and healthy ones. It can happen without warning, without any apparent reason.

Triggers can also cause irrational and exaggerated fear and anxiety. Chemical imbalance in the body (low serotonin and low progesterone levels) can trigger an attack. And while there are so many studies that suggest some causes of panic attacks, the condition is still not fully understood.

Know its symptoms. For most many people, there is no easy telling whether or not they are experiencing a panic attack during the moment of attack since it is difficult for them to rationalize things and to differentiate what is real from the unreal. While this is the case, it is not really an excuse. Here are the symptoms of panic attacks: heartbeat or palpitation, chest pain, hyperventilation or shortness of breath, stomach churning, upset stomach, trembling and shaking, muscle tension, sweating, dizziness and light-headedness, hot or cold flashes, tingling sensation or numbness, fear of dying, going crazy or losing control and feeling detached from the surroundings. Take note that people react to triggers differently, thus symptoms may vary from person to person.

Practice deep breathing. Deep breathing during an attack is the most effective way to reduce the symptoms you are experiencing as well as divert your attention from the fearful thought. Breathe in deeply for 3 slow counts, hold your breath for 3 slow counts, and breathe out for another 3 slow counts. Repeat this process until you feel you are calm. You can also breathe into a paper bag. This reason for this is that re-breathing your carbon dioxide helps correct the blood acid level that had been disturbed by excessive breathing.

Stay positive. While it is easier said than done, staying positive during an attack will speed up your recovery. Let the situation flow while keeping in mind that it will going to pass. An attack peaks for 5 to 10 minutes and rarely extends for more than half an hour so do not think that you are going crazy (or going to die) even if it feels that you are going crazy (or going to die).

Avoid unnecessary stress. While you cannot avoid every stressful situation and it is also unhealthy to turn your back on situations that need to be addressed, avoiding unnecessary stress help reduce the chances of you experiencing an attack. Stay away from people who stress you out, from relationship that causes stress, and situations that get you tensed.

Learn to say “no” if you have other much important things to do; do not work for extended hours; do not accept additional work if you know you cannot do it properly, etc.

Finding Relief from the Anxiety Attack

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage–at least it seems that way. If you’ve been thinking you need to know more about it, here’s your opportunity.

An anxiety attack, also referred to thanks to a panic attack, is an episode of intense panic and / or fear. Unfortunately, it often occurs suddenly with little or no warning. In some cases, theres an obvious trigger for the attack – – getting stuck in an elevator, for example, or thinking about your big race – – but in other cases, the attacks seem to come outer of the blue.

An anxiety attack usually hits its worst point within ten minutes, and it rarely lasts more than a half hour. To someone who has never suffered through one, this may not seem very long. But it’s an week to the person that’s experiencing it. The terror can be so severe that you feel like they’re about to die or completely lose control. The irrefutable symptoms of a panic attack are themselves so intense that they are regularly confused with having a heart attack. Common symptoms include: a rush of overwhelming panic, feeling of losing control or going crazy, heart palpitations, chest pain, dizziness, difficulty aware, choking feeling, hyperventillation, hot flashes, chills, trembling, nausea, stomach covet, and feeling like you’re not really real but looking in on yourself.

If you suffer repeated, unexpected anxiety attacks, and you are also disturbed of having an attack again in public, you may suffer from panic disorder. Panic disorder may also be accompanied by agoraphobia, the funk of considering somewhere that you can’t get help or a place that would be difficult to leave if you did have an attack.

The exact causes of panic attacks are not yet certain. However, we do know that the tendency to have panic attacks runs in families and there seems to be a correlation with major transitions equaling as graduating from college, starting the primary job, getting married, and having a baby. Severe emotional stress, like losing a loved one or job can also go ahead a panic attack.

Panic attacks could also be caused by medical conditions jibing as mitral valve prolapse ( which happens when one of the heart’s valves doesn’t stuffy properly ), hyperthyroidism or hypoglycemia, or by stimulant use or withdrawel from medication.

Luckily, anxiety attacks are treatable suppress cognitive behavioral therapy and / or medication.

Rational behavioral therapy focuses on the thinking patterns and behaviors that are sustaining or setting off your panic attacks. It helps you look at your fears in a more realistic light and caress that you are gaining control of the situation.

Exposure therapy exposes you to the absolute panic feelings while you are monitored in a safe and controlled environment. The point of this type of therapy is to give you the chance to learn ways of coping with your anxiety. You will be asked to do things that bring on your attacks, identical as holding your breath or hyperventilating. As you enlarge these actions, your fear lessons and you feel a greater sense of control over your fear.

This information does not substitute medical advice given by a health professional.

Now you can be a confident expert on beauty. OK, maybe not an expert. But you should have something to bring to the table next time you join a discussion on beauty.

E. R. Nurses Shorthanded

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding nurses. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about nurses.

You rushed a friend at 10: 00 in the evening to the nearest hospital due to unbearable chest pain. But at the emergency department, you were greeted with a number for patients waiting to be attended to. It took 30 minutes before your friend was taken care of by the emergency nurses.

You wonder, what is this shortage about emergency nurses? Arent there enough people who would like to catch care of sick people anymore?

According to a study conducted by the researchers from Cambridge Health Alliance as reported in Health Affairs, wait times went up an average of 4. 1 percent per year for all patients. Unfortunately for passion attack patients, the wait stretched to 11. 2 percent every space. Blacks, Hispanics, womanliness and patients in urban hospitals have longer wait times that others.

So how long exactly are these percentages? For patients diagnosed with heart attacks, the waiting time in 1997 was 8 minutes, but in 2004 it rose to 20 minutes. Patients who needed attention within 15 minutes, according to the nurses who evaluated them, have to wait 10 minutes back in 1997. But in 2004, it went up to 14 minutes. Emergency room wait in urban hospitals was 30 minutes. While non – urban hospital emergency room wait is within 15 minutes.

So why are the numbers increasing?

Emergency visits rose by 78 percent from 1995 to 2003. But the number of the emergency departments to accommodate this rise fell by 12. 4 percent from 1995 to 2003. The number of patients rushing in to the emergency department to entertain medical attention can be attributed to the fact that there is an increase of underinsured and uninsured patients. The aging American population is again a factor.

According to the EMTALA or the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, everyone has the conscientious to be seen and attended to in the emergency department, whether they are able to wages or not. This served as safeguard for the underinsured and uninsured citizens.

There were several accounts of patients dying in the emergency room waiting area because of late waits even with critical undiagnosed conditions. Recently, a 19 year old woman died on the Kings County Hospital Center Psychiatric Emergency Department floor. The incident was recorded by the hospitals camera. It took an hour before someone took notice of the woman, but the patient was contemporary dead. The hospital was said to be understaffed.

Different measures are being taken to resolve the crisis in emergency departments and avoid unfortunate events like this. Glaringly resolutions are being directed to the Congress. Some of the proposed means to be taken are:

1. Quickly approving the $50 million in extra funding for hospitals that provide uncompensated care to uninsured patients.

2. Significantly increase a funding for tragedy preparedness in hospitals.

3. Establish an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services for emergency and trauma care, and create a demonstration program to promote a coordinated regional approach to emergency care

Dr. Andre Wilson, Chief of Emergency Medicine in William Beaumont Hospital in No problem Oak in Michigan released a toss around on the effect of the straight back approach in reducing emergency room wait time. On this approach, the patients are immediately moved from the triage to an emergency room treatment area without going through the waiting room. There is need for the tolerant to go though with the little registration procedure and have the patient chart available immediately. With this procedure, the Beaumont Hospital was said to have the satisfaction rating from their patients increased. This also thought to increase the hospitals revenues.

Hospitals are taking measures on reducing the staffing shortages their emergency gob are increasing. Emergency room nurses are much in demand nowadays to cope with the increasing number of sick patients requiring medical attention. we could have as many emergency room nurses, but the key issue is how to yield health care for everybody available at all times with minimal amount of wait.
If you’ve picked some pointers about nurses that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don’t use it.

Help Someone Having a Panic Attack

Panic attacks often occur to anyone without warning. So whenever someone had an attack, it is important that you know what to do.

Understand what a panic attack is. A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear or anxiety. It is manifested by several signs and symptoms. During an attack, a person experiences increased heartbeat or palpitation, chest pain, hyperventilation or shortness of breath, stomach churning, upset stomach, trembling and shaking, muscle tension, sweating, dizziness and light-headedness, hot or cold flashes, tingling sensation or numbness, fear of dying, going crazy or losing control and feeling detached from the surroundings.

Seek for emergency medical help. It is important to call for a health professional especially if a person experiences an attack for the first time.

Identify the cause of the symptoms. The signs and symptoms of panic attack are similar to medical conditions. Hyperventilation or shortness of breath can be a sign of asthma. Chest pain, increased heartbeat or palpitation and sweating can be a heart attack. Talk to the person and determine if the symptoms are caused by other medical conditions. When in doubt, a health professional will be a great help.

While waiting for help, find the cause of attack. Once it is established that the cause of the symptoms is really a panic attack, find the source of the panic and take the person away from it. Do not make an assumption about what the person needs. A person who is suffering from the attack may know exactly what to do or has medications which will get him through the attack, so it is best to ask.

Don’t surprise the patient. Be predictable with your movements. Do not grab, hold or restrain. Keep him calm and stay calm yourself. Reassure the person that everything is going to be fine but do not dismiss his fear by saying “it’s all in your mind” or “don’t worry about it” or “you are overreacting.” Take note that the fear is very real to the victim so it dismissing the fear has no effect or can even make the matter worse.

Help the patient to control his breathing. Many patients breathe heavily during an attack; others hold their breath. Using deep breathing technique is a very effective way to purge the symptoms of a panic attack as well as calm the patient down. Guide the person and tell him to breathe in for 3 slow counts. Then ask him to hold his breath for 3 slow counts and breathe out for another 3 slow counts. Do this several times until the person is calm. You can also advice him to breathe into a paper bag. This way, he will re-breathe his carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide helps correct the blood acid level that had been disturbed by excessive breathing. But be careful when using paper bags since they may trigger another fear.

Stay with the person throughout his ordeal. Never leave a person especially if he is having difficulty in breathing. Be patient. They may act rude or unfriendly but remember that it is temporary and will go back to normal as soon as the attack is over.

Do not forget that for the patient, the thoughts are real. Reassure him the help is on the way. Never allow the patient to do things that will put his life at risk.