Panic Attack

A new patient came to see me today with a complain of a panic attack. She has been seeing many doctors for the past three months and every time was told that she is perfectly healthy. What worries her is that she seem to be out of breath most of the time and experiencing palpitations almost 24hours daily.

Panic attacks create a sudden, wild, frantic feeling that makes the heart race and throws the body into a state of alarm. Some people feel like they are about to suffocate; others cannot move a muscle and simply tremble. Other common symptoms are dizziness, dry mouth, sweaty palms and tight chest. Some people develop lumps in the throat and butterflies in the stomach.
The attack persists only for seconds, sometimes minutes. Unlike phobias, which are overwhelming fears directed at something in particular, panic attacks appear unexpectedly, without reason or warning. Severe panic attacks can be mistaken for heart attacks. They are often related to general feelings of anxiety, and can be accompanied by other disturbances, like nightmares, sleeplessness, changes in appetite and fatigue. Long-term struggles with anxiety disorders and panic attacks lead to frustration and depression. It is a surprisingly common condition affecting both men and women. (excerpt from Encyclopedia of Natural Healing, 2nd Edition)