What are panic attacks?

Many people suffer from the anxiety disorder known as panic attacks. A panic attack usually comes on for no apparent reason. It can be an episode of intense fear that is so severe it triggers a physical response. Many people who experience panic attacks report that they feel like they are losing their mind, experiencing a heat attack, or some people even feel like they are dying. Sufferers from this problem report that the attacks usually last between 10-30 minutes, and they feel extremely fatigued after it passes.

Most people have only a few panic attacks during their lifetime. However, if you are suffering from chronic panic attacks and spend long periods of time, fearing another attack, you may have a condition, known as panic disorder. This is a type of chronic anxiety disorder.

The medical community once dismissed this problem as simply stress or nervous problems, however, todayhealth care professionals understand that this is a real medical condition. The good news is that even though panic attacks can be disabling, treatment is usually very effective and successful in curtailing them.

Most people report that a panic attack begins with a pounding heart and they feel shortness of breath, dizzy and sometimes nauseated and flushed. However, there are a couple of factors to be aware of. Panic attacks symptoms can be from some other life threatening conditions, so it is crucial to be evaluated carefully, in order to receive a diagnosis that is accurate and the right treatment.

In addition, there are other symptoms that can accompany panic attacks. You may experience only a few symptoms or several. Other symptoms of panic attacks can include:

• A sense of impending doom or death


• Sweating


• Trembling


• Hyperventilation


• Chills


• Abdominal cramping


• Chest pain


• Headache


• Faintness


• Tightness in your throat


• Trouble swallowing

One of the major problems that many people have after experiencing panic attacks, is that they begin avoiding situations, where they can occur. Many people even develop agoraphobia (fear of leaving home) because they are constantly worried about having a panic attack in public.

It is important to seek medical help immediately, if you are experiencing panic attack symptoms. This is crucial since most of the time panic attacks are impossible to manage on your own, and will get worse without treatment.Your health care professional can help you to manage this problem so that they don't get worse. In addition, by seeing your health care professional you can rule out any other life threatening condition that could be mimicking panic attacks.

The causes of panic attacks or panic disorder are not clearly known. However, researchers feel that there are certain factors that play an inherent role in them. These factors are:

• Genetics


• Stress


• Certain changes in the way parts of your brain function

Other researchers have speculated that panic attacks could occur as a misfire in the fight or flight response in the brain. Many of the reactions of a panic attack are the same as if the body was in danger, however, these symptoms occur without the actual danger being present. There will need to be further research to determine the actual causes of panic attacks.

If you are prone to panic attacks it can be helpful to be aware of the situations that can trigger them. Having this knowledge can help you to prepare for the additional stress that could bring on a panic attack. Research indicates that most people have symptoms of panic disorder that begin during late adolescence or early adulthood. This problem also affects more females then males.

There are also factors that bring about an increased risk of having a panic attack or developing panic disorder. This includes but is not limited to:

• A family history of panic attacks or panic disorder


• Significant stress


• The death or serious illness of a loved one


• Big changes in your life, such as the addition of a baby


• A history of childhood physical or sexual abuse


• Undergoing a traumatic event