Panic Attack Treatment Now

Panic Attack Symptoms

•The American Psychiatric Association’s official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) defines a panic attack as a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort, in which 4 (or more) of the following symptoms develop abruptly and reach a peak within 10 minutes:
*Palpitations, pounding heart, or fast heart rate
*Sweating
*Trembling and shaking
*Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
*Feelings of choking
*Chest pain or discomfort
*Nausea or abdominal distress
*Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded, or faint
*Derealization (feelings of unreality) or depersonalization (being detached from oneself)
*Fear of losing control or going crazy
*Fear of dying
*Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
*Chills or hot flashes

In my case of my panic attacks, I found myself having the majority of these symptoms and it takes over your better thinking and judgement. The key is recognizing the symptoms coming on as early as you can so that you can use the simple techniques I was taught to defray the attack and take away all of its power. Click here to see the book and information that helped me finally get rid of my panic attacks.

•Some of these symptoms will most likely be present in a panic attack. The attacks can be so disabling that the person is unable to express to others what is happening to them. A doctor might also note various signs of panic: The person may appear terrified or shaky or be hyperventilating (deep, rapid breathing causing dizziness).
•Recent literature suggests that men and women may experience different symptoms during an attack. Women tend to experience a predominance of respiratory symptoms compared to men.

 
When to Seek Medical Care
For someone who may be experiencing their first panic attack, a call to the doctor’s office or 911 is warranted. The idea is to make sure that the cause of the person’s distress is not a heart attack, asthma problem, endocrine emergency, or other dangerous medical condition.

•A medical professional is the only person who should make the diagnosis of panic attack. There is no such thing as a “wasted” visit to the doctor in this case. It is better to be told that the diagnosis is panic attack than to assume that someone is panicking and be proved wrong.
Almost everyone experiencing symptoms of a panic attack needs evaluation. Unless the person has a history of having panic attacks, is otherwise healthy, and is experiencing a typical attack, they must be evaluated promptly by a doctor. The level of evaluation depends on many factors. Err on the side of safety when deciding whether to go to the hospital’s emergency department.
•Even for medical professionals, the diagnosis of panic attack is known as a diagnosis of exclusion. This simply means that before the doctor can be comfortable with the diagnosis of panic attack, all other possible causes need to be considered and ruled out.