Hyperventilation Syndrome

Hyperventilation is another word for increased or large volume (hyper) breathing (ventilation).

Increased breathing can occur as a result of shock or trauma or can come on gradually due to continual daily stress overload. Hyperventilation can become chronic if a person remains under stress and does not address their breathing habits.

When oxygen delivery is reduced all systems of the body are on "high alert" and the person suffers with multiple problems. Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome (CHVS) has so many symptoms that it often remains undiagnosed.

Symptoms of CHVS include dizziness, panic, anxiety, breathing difficulties, erratic breathing, excessive sweating, frequent urination, kidney complaints, digestive disorders, muscle pain, excessive acidity, high blood pressure, low energy, blocked and or runny nose, wheezing, exercise asthma, itching skin, frequent infections and low immunity, etc.

Hyperventilation disorders are not usually effectively managed with pharmaceuticals alone, because the issue stems from the breathing, and symptoms are exacerbated by any stress.

Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome occurs when the respiratory centre of the brain has adapted to accommodate continual over-breathing. Once this has occurred, the breathing is kept at heightened levels automatically. CHVS sufferers then have to re-train their breathing so that they can eventually re-set the respiratory centre back to normal.

Buteyko is an effective and well known intervention for Chronic Hyperventilation Syndrome. Doing daily Buteyko exercises for a few months restores normal breathing patterns and stops symptoms in their tracks.

FREE PDF BOOKLET:
Breathing incorrectly can be harmful to all aspects of health. This has been known since the 1800's. In his book, "Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life", George Catlin showed that people who lived a more natural lifestyle like the Indigenous tribes he encountered while travelling in North America have better health over all. He related this entirely to breathing and resting oral posture, as well as other habits that form part of good adjunctive health programs.


©Buteyko South Africa