subject: The Types, Causes And Treatment Of Panic Symptoms And Anxiety Attacks [print this page] Many people who suffer from panic attacks say that this is even worse than a heart attack. Panic symptoms in fact often closely mimic that of a heart attack. Let us briefly discuss the nature of panic attacks.
As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, a heart attack and a panic attack very often feels very much the same. Not only will your pulse rate increase dramatically, but you could also experience heart palpitations. Chest pains and difficulty in breathing are not uncommon sensations. Very often sufferers will also experience a feeling of numbness in their legs, arms and scalp. Hot flushes and muscle pains also regularly occur.
Many experience increased sweating during a panic attack. Another symptom that is quite common, is that the person will feel an intense weakness in his legs and arms. Very often patients get the feeling that they are dying or going crazy. Feelings of nausea and dizziness are also not unusual.
Depression and panic attacks frequently go together. People suffering from depression often experience panic attacks and vice versa. Feelings of utmost despair can be very common in these circumstances. Thoughts of suicide and/or death are frequently reported.
The causes of anxiety attacks can be numerous and very hard to pinpoint. Very often the cause for a particular patient's attacks can never be established without any doubt. Sometimes one can trace it back to a deficiency in his/her diet, such as eating too much sugar or taking in to much coffee. Menopause and other hormonal changes caused by PMDD or thyroid dysfunction can sometimes result in panic attacks.
Attacks are sometimes triggered by a specific situation, such as being in a confined space, being exposed to great heights or being close to a large body of water. Very often people suffer from what is called general anxiety disorder, where even something mundane like watching television can trigger an attack.
There's a variety of medications on the market to alleviate these symptoms. They include tranquilizers, beta blockers and what is referred to as benzodiazepines. Some people get an anticipatory panic attack when they feel the attack is starting. This of course makes things worse. There are specific medication available to relieve this anticipatory panic. Other types of medicines focus on relieving the symptoms of the actual attack.
When you realize that what you experience are panic symptoms, the important thing to understand is that it won't kill you. What you experience is a malfunctioning of your body's alarm system. It's similar to a car alarm going off in an quiet car park with nobody near the car - there is no reason for you to feel this way, it has no basis in real life. Sit down, breathe deeply and regularly and wait for it to pass.
