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Curing panic attack


Panic attacks and panic disorder - Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis

Your primary care provider will determine if you have panic attacks, panic disorder or another condition, such as heart or thyroid problems, with symptoms that resemble panic attacks.

To help pinpoint a diagnosis, you may have:

  • A complete physical exam
  • Blood tests to check your thyroid and other possible conditions and tests on your heart, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
  • A psychological evaluation to talk about your symptoms, fears or concerns, stressful situations, relationship problems, situations you may be avoiding, and family history

You may fill out a psychological self-assessment or questionnaire. You also may be asked about alcohol or other substance use.

Criteria for diagnosis of panic disorder

Not everyone who has panic attacks has panic disorder. For a diagnosis of panic disorder, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association, lists these points:

  • You have frequent, unexpected panic attacks.
  • At least one of your attacks has been followed by one month or more of ongoing worry about having another attack; continued fear of the consequences of an attack, such as losing control, having a heart attack or "going crazy"; or significant changes in your behavior, such as avoiding situations that you think may trigger a panic attack.
  • Your panic attacks aren't caused by drugs or other substance use, a medical condition, or another mental health condition, such as social phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

If you have panic attacks but not a diagnosed panic disorder, you can still benefit from treatment. If panic attacks aren't treated, they can get worse and develop into panic disorder or phobias.

More Information

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

Treatment

Treatment can help reduce the intensity and frequency of your panic attacks and improve your function in daily life. The main treatment options are psychotherapy and medications. One or both types of treatment may be recommended, depending on your preference, your history, the severity of your panic disorder and whether you have access to therapists who have special training in treating panic disorders.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is considered an effective first choice treatment for panic attacks and panic disorder. Psychotherapy can help you understand panic attacks and panic disorder and learn how to cope with them.

A form of psychotherapy called cognitive behavioral therapy can help you learn, through your own experience, that panic symptoms are not dangerous. Your therapist will help you gradually re-create the symptoms of a panic attack in a safe, repetitive manner. Once the physical sensations of panic no longer feel threatening, the attacks begin to resolve. Successful treatment can also help you overcome fears of situations that you've avoided because of panic attacks.

Seeing results from treatment can take time and effort. You may start to see panic attack symptoms reduce within several weeks, and often symptoms decrease significantly or go away within several months. You may schedule occasional maintenance visits to help ensure that your panic attacks remain under control or to treat recurrences.

Medications

Medications can help reduce symptoms associated with panic attacks as well as depression if that's an issue for you. Several types of medication have been shown to be effective in managing symptoms of panic attacks, including:

  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Generally safe with a low risk of serious side effects, SSRI antidepressants are typically recommended as the first choice of medications to treat panic attacks. SSRIs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of panic disorder include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft).
  • Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These medications are another class of antidepressants. The SNRI venlafaxine (Effexor XR) is FDA approved for the treatment of panic disorder.
  • Benzodiazepines. These sedatives are central nervous system depressants. Benzodiazepines approved by the FDA for the treatment of panic disorder include alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin). Benzodiazepines are generally used only on a short-term basis because they can be habit-forming, causing mental or physical dependence. These medications are not a good choice if you've had problems with alcohol or drug use. They can also interact with other drugs, causing dangerous side effects.

If one medication doesn't work well for you, your doctor may recommend switching to another or combining certain medications to boost effectiveness. Keep in mind that it can take several weeks after first starting a medication to notice an improvement in symptoms.

All medications have a risk of side effects, and some may not be recommended in certain situations, such as pregnancy. Talk with your doctor about possible side effects and risks.

More Information

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Psychotherapy

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Lifestyle and home remedies

While panic attacks and panic disorder benefit from professional treatment, these self-care steps can help you manage symptoms:

  • Stick to your treatment plan. Facing your fears can be difficult, but treatment can help you feel like you're not a hostage in your own home.
  • Join a support group. Joining a group for people with panic attacks or anxiety disorders can connect you with others facing the same problems.
  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol, smoking and recreational drugs. All of these can trigger or worsen panic attacks.
  • Practice stress management and relaxation techniques. For example, yoga, deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation — tensing one muscle at a time, and then completely releasing the tension until every muscle in the body is relaxed — also may be helpful.
  • Get physically active. Aerobic activity may have a calming effect on your mood.
  • Get sufficient sleep. Get enough sleep so that you don't feel drowsy during the day.

Alternative medicine

Some dietary supplements have been studied as a treatment for panic disorder, but more research is needed to understand the risks and benefits. Herbal products and dietary supplements aren't monitored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the same way medications are. You can't always be certain of what you're getting and whether it's safe.

Before trying herbal remedies or dietary supplements, talk to your doctor. Some of these products can interfere with prescription medications or cause dangerous interactions.

Preparing for your appointment

If you've had signs or symptoms of a panic attack, make an appointment with your primary care provider. After an initial evaluation, he or she may refer you to a mental health professional for treatment.

What you can do

Before your appointment, make a list of:

  • Your symptoms, including when they first occurred and how often you've had them
  • Key personal information, including traumatic events in your past and any stressful major events that occurred before your first panic attack
  • Medical information, including other physical or mental health conditions that you have
  • Medications, vitamins, herbal products and other supplements, and the dosages
  • Questions to ask your doctor

Ask a trusted family member or friend to go with you to your appointment, if possible, to lend support and help you remember information.

Questions to ask your primary care provider at your first appointment

  • What do you believe is causing my symptoms?
  • Is it possible that an underlying medical problem is causing my symptoms?
  • Do I need any diagnostic tests?
  • Should I see a mental health professional?
  • Is there anything I can do now to help manage my symptoms?

Questions to ask if you're referred to a mental health professional

  • Do I have panic attacks or panic disorder?
  • What treatment approach do you recommend?
  • If you're recommending therapy, how often will I need it and for how long?
  • Would group therapy be helpful in my case?
  • If you're recommending medications, are there any possible side effects?
  • For how long will I need to take medication?
  • How will you monitor whether my treatment is working?
  • What can I do now to reduce the risk of my panic attacks recurring?
  • Are there any self-care steps I can take to help manage my condition?
  • Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can have?
  • What websites do you recommend?

Don't hesitate to ask any other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your primary care provider or mental health professional may ask:

  • What are your symptoms, and when did they first occur?
  • How often do your attacks occur, and how long do they last?
  • Does anything in particular seem to trigger an attack?
  • How often do you experience fear of another attack?
  • Do you avoid locations or experiences that seem to trigger an attack?
  • How do your symptoms affect your life, such as school, work and personal relationships?
  • Did you experience major stress or a traumatic event shortly before your first panic attack?
  • Have you ever experienced major trauma, such as physical or sexual abuse or military battle?
  • How would you describe your childhood, including your relationship with your parents?
  • Have you or any of your close relatives been diagnosed with a mental health problem, including panic attacks or panic disorder?
  • Have you been diagnosed with any medical conditions?
  • Do you use caffeine, alcohol or recreational drugs? How often?
  • Do you exercise or do other types of regular physical activity?

Your primary care provider or mental health professional will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs. Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your appointment time.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

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What They Are, How to Stop, and More

Panic attacks can be scary and may hit you quickly. Here are 12 strategies you can use to try to stop or manage panic attacks. Some may help you in the moment, while others can help in the longer term.

1. Seek

counseling

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and other types of counseling can often help people who have panic attacks and who have panic disorders. CBT aims to help you change the way you see challenging or frightening situations and to help you find new ways to approach these challenges as they arise.

You can find CBT for individuals or groups, online or face-to-face, and the length of treatment can also vary. In exposure-based CBT, your therapist will expose you to something that can trigger a panic attack and help you work your way through it.

As well as changing behavior, there is some evidence that CBT might affect structures in your brain that are responsible for panic symptoms.

In 2018, some researchers found evidence that people who attended four weekly sessions of exposure-based CBT experienced changes in the neural pathways involved in panic symptoms. However, this was an early study, and more research is needed.

In 2018, 37 people in Korea attended a mindfulness-based program once a week for 4 weeks, to see if brief treatment would help reduce symptoms of panic disorder. One aspect of the treatment was to focus on their heart rate, as some people experience cardiovascular symptoms during a panic attack.

The findings suggested that the participants could better manage their symptoms using their own thought processes after the treatment. However, this was a small study, and there was no control group. More research is needed to find out how effective short-term therapy can be.

2. Take medications

Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), can help treat the symptoms of panic when they occur.

However, they won’t help treat an underlying anxiety disorder and can quickly lead to dependence. For this reason, doctors only recommend them for short-term use during a crisis.

Because benzodiazepines are a prescription medication, you’ll likely need a panic disorder diagnosis to have the medication on hand.

In some cases, a doctor may prescribe anti-depressants for long-term use. Examples include:

  • selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as escitalopram (Lexapro) or fluoxetine (Prozac)
  • serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as duloxetine (Cymbalta)
  • anti-anxiety drugs, for instance, azapirone (Buspirone)

Some anti-seizure medications, such as pregabalin or clonazepam, can also help treat anxiety.

Which drugs can treat anxiety disorder?

3. Use deep breathing

While hyperventilating is a symptom of panic attacks that can increase fear, deep breathing can reduce symptoms of panic during an attack.

In one study, published in 2017, 40 people joined either a therapy group that involved deep or diaphragmatic breathing or a control group. After 20 intensive training sessions, those who practiced deep breathing saw improvements in their attention levels and emotional well-being.

Blood tests also showed lower cortisol levels in this group, suggesting lower levels of stress. The participants did not have panic disorder, but the strategies could help people who have panic attacks.

Another group of scientists found that slow breathing could have similar effects. They suggested it could also improve feelings of relaxation, comfort, and alertness and reduce symptoms of arousal anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion.

If you’re able to control your breathing, you’re less likely to experience the hyperventilating that can make other symptoms — and the panic attack itself — worse.

Focus on taking a deep breath in through your nose, feeling the air slowly fill your chest and belly. Then slowly exhale through your mouth and feel the air leave your body. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold for a second, and then breathe out through your nose for a count of four:

What is diaphragmatic breathing and how do you do it?

4. Recognize that you’re having a panic attack

By recognizing that you’re having a panic attack instead of a heart attack, you can remind yourself that this is temporary, it will pass, and that you’re OK.

Take away the fear that you may be dying or that impending doom is looming, both symptoms of panic attacks. This can allow you to focus on other techniques to reduce your symptoms.

It is not always possible to avoid triggers for a panic attack, but if you know what triggers it, this can help you understand that it is a panic attack and not something else.

5. Close your eyes

Some panic attacks come from triggers that overwhelm you. If you’re in a fast-paced environment with a lot of stimuli, this can feed your panic attack.

To reduce the stimuli, close your eyes during your panic attack. This can block out any extra stimuli and make it easier to focus on your breathing.

6. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness can help ground you in the reality of what’s around you. Since panic attacks can cause a feeling of detachment or separation from reality, this can combat your panic attack as it’s approaching or actually happening.

Mindfulness involves:

  • focusing your attention on the present
  • recognizing the emotional state you’re in
  • meditating to reduce stress and help you relax

Focus on the physical sensations you are familiar with, like digging your feet into the ground or feeling the texture of your jeans on your hands. These specific sensations ground you firmly in reality and give you something objective to focus on.

Experts say that mindfulness strategies, such as meditation, can help manage anxiety symptoms, although it’s not clear they can treat an underlying anxiety disorder.

American Family Physician recommended mindfulness as a strategy for dealing with panic and anxiety in 2015, saying it can be as helpful for reducing stress as CBT and other behavioral therapies.

Some research has suggested that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy could help people with anxiety disorders who are receiving medical treatment but haven’t found drug treatment helpful.

Online meditation options

Read our review of the best online meditation options to help find the right fit for you.

7. Find a focus object

Some people find it helpful to find something to focus all their attention on during a panic attack. Pick one object in clear sight and consciously note everything about it possible.

For example, you may notice how the hand on the clock jerks when it ticks, and that it’s slightly lopsided. Describe the patterns, color, shapes, and size of the object to yourself. Focus all your energy on this object, and your panic symptoms may subside.

8. Use muscle relaxation techniques

Muscle tension is a symptom of anxiety, and muscle relaxation techniques can help reduce tension and promote relaxation during an attack. Progressive muscle relaxation aims to release tension in one group of muscles at a time to relax the whole body.

Much like deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques can help stop your panic attack in its tracks by controlling your body’s response as much as possible.

If you attend muscle relaxation therapy, your therapist might take you through the following steps:

  • First, you may learn how to tense the muscles before releasing the tension.
  • Then, you will learn how to relax the muscles without tensing them first.
  • You may also learn how to relax specific sets of muscles, for example, in the shoulders, for practical use in everyday situations.
  • Finally, you may learn how to practice rapid relaxation, when you can identify any areas of tension and release it as needed.

To start relaxing your muscles at home, consciously relax one muscle at a time, starting with something simple like the fingers in your hand, and move your way up through your body.

Muscle relaxation techniques will be most effective when you’ve practiced them beforehand.

9. Picture your happy place

Guided imagery techniques can help reduce stress and anxiety. Research suggests that both spending time in nature and visualizing nature can help treat and manage anxiety.

What’s the most relaxing place in the world that you can think of? A sunny beach with gently rolling waves? A cabin in the mountains?

Picture yourself there and try to focus on the details as much as possible. Imagine digging your toes into the warm sand, or smelling the sharp scent of pine trees.

This place should be quiet, calm, and relaxing — no streets of New York or Hong Kong, no matter how much you love the cities in real life.

Here, learn about five visualization techniques that can help you meditate.

10. Engage in light exercise

Research shows that regular exercise can not only keep the body healthy but boost mental well-being, too.

Experts have found that exercising at 60 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate for 20 minutes three times per week can help reduce anxiety.

If you are not used to exercising, talk with your doctor before starting. There is some evidence that starting aerobic exercise anew can trigger additional anxiety in people with an anxiety disorder. Building up gradually can help your body adjust and avoid breathing problems. Aerobic exercise includes activities such as running on a treadmill.

If you feel stressed or you’re hyperventilating or struggling to breathe, stop and take a rest or choose a more moderate option, such as walking, swimming, or yoga.

11. Keep lavender on hand

Lavender is a traditional remedy that many people use to reduce stress and help them relax.

Research suggests it has a calming effect but doesn’t lead to dependence or cause withdrawal symptoms. Using products that contain diluted lavender oil may help reduce or manage symptoms of anxiety.

However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate essential oils, and strengths and ingredients vary widely.

If you use lavender essential oil, make sure you:

  • get your oil from a reputable source, such as a pharmacy
  • follow the instructions for use
  • avoid applying concentrated oil directly to the skin
  • avoid using lavender with benzodiazepines because the combination can cause intense drowsiness

While research suggests there are health benefits, the FDA doesn’t monitor or regulate the purity or quality of essential oils. It’s important to talk with a healthcare professional before you begin using essential oils and be sure to research the quality of a brand’s products. Always do a patch test before trying a new essential oil.

Which essential oil is right for you?

12. Repeat a mantra internally

Repeating a mantra internally can be relaxing and reassuring, and it can give you something to grasp onto during a panic attack.

Whether it’s simply “This too shall pass,” or a mantra that speaks to you personally, repeat it on loop in your head until you feel the panic attack start to subside.

Panic attacks are sudden, intense surges of fear, panic, or anxiety. They are overwhelming, and they have physical as well as emotional symptoms.

If you have a panic attack, you might find you have difficulty breathing, you sweat profusely and tremble, and you may feel your heart pounding.

Some people will also experience chest pain and a feeling of detachment from reality or themselves during a panic attack, so they may think they’re having a heart attack. Others have reported feeling like they are having a stroke.

Causes

Panic attacks can happen for various reasons, and sometimes they happen for no apparent reason.

You’re more likely to experience them if you:

  • have panic disorder
  • have another anxiety disorder
  • use certain substances or have a substance use disorder
  • use certain medications
  • have a medical condition, such as an overactive thyroid
  • have a condition that involves psychosis

A panic attack often happens when you’re exposed to a trigger, but triggers vary widely between people. In some cases, there may be no clear trigger.

However, some people find that the following can trigger an attack:

  • social events
  • public speaking
  • conflict
  • situations that remind you of past or current stress in your life

Here, learn more about the causes and triggers of panic attacks.

Symptoms

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) defines a panic attack as “an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort.”

They tend to start without warning, and symptoms reach a peak within minutes.

If you have a panic attack, here are some of the symptoms you might experience:

  • a pounding heart, palpitations, or rapid heart rate
  • sweating
  • shaking or trembling
  • difficulty breathing or feeling as if you are choking or being smothered
  • chest pain or discomfort
  • nausea or stomach upset
  • feeling dizzy, light-headed, or faint
  • feeling unsteady
  • chills or feeling hot
  • numbness or tingling
  • feelings as if things are unreal
  • feeling detached from yourself.
  • fear of losing control or “going crazy”
  • fear of dying

It is not always possible to prevent a panic attack, but the following tips may help:

  • do breathing exercises every day
  • get regular exercise
  • follow a diet that is low in added sugar and eat regularly to avoid glucose spikes
  • avoid caffeine, smoking, and alcohol, as they may make anxiety worse
  • seek counseling and other professional help
  • ask your doctor about local support groups

Avoiding specific triggers may help prevent a panic attack, but this may not always be possible or appropriate. Some experts encourage people to “ride out” the attack and continue doing things, if possible.

However, if a situation is likely to cause severe distress, consider waiting until you’ve worked with a professional to develop skills and strategies to help you cope.

If you have concerns about panic attacks, consider talking with a doctor, especially if:

  • You have one or more panic attacks and continue to worry about panic attacks for a month or longer.
  • You find yourself changing your behavior after an attack.
  • Your concerns or feelings of fear or anxiety are affecting your work, studies, or daily life.

Many people experience panic attacks, in which they suddenly feel anxious and not in control of a situation, possibly without knowing why.

You may feel breathless or as if you are having a heart attack, and it can be very frightening.

Panic attacks can occur unexpectedly and have a significant impact on your daily life, but there are ways to manage them. Treatment is also available for panic and anxiety disorders, which may be an underlying condition.

If you have concerns about panic attacks, speak with your doctor. They can help you work out a suitable strategy to manage symptoms and reduce the impact. This may involve medications, such as antidepressants, alongside counseling.

Read this article in Spanish.

symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Contents of the article

  1. Symptoms and signs of a panic attack
  2. Causes of panic attacks
  3. Risk factors
    4. nine0005 What is the danger of panic attacks
  4. When to see a doctor
  5. Preparing for a doctor's visit
  6. Panic Attack Diagnosis
    7. nine0005 Treatment
  7. Home remedies
  8. Myths and dangerous misconceptions in the treatment of panic attacks
  9. Prophylaxis
    10. nine0005 How to make an appointment with a psychotherapist

Faced with unexplained agonizing bouts of anxiety and severe anxiety, not everyone can understand what is happening to them. In fact, such a condition in modern medicine is called a panic attack. A feature of this disease are the reasons for its appearance that have not been fully clarified. The occurrence of a panic attack is always sudden and is accompanied by somatic disorders, increased heart rate, dizziness and loss of control. nine0003

Symptoms and signs of a panic attack

Data from medical studies confirm that about 5% of the inhabitants of megacities suffer from panic attacks today. Anxiety is accompanied by the following signs of a panic attack:

  • feeling of doom and fear of death;
  • difficulty breathing and dry mouth;
  • severe headaches and dizziness;
    • nine0005 increased sweating;
  • nausea;
  • increased heart rate;
  • weakness and numbness of the limbs;
  • a feeling of loss of control and unreality of what is happening around.

People who often experience such a problem need to know how to deal with a panic attack on their own and do it the right way.

Causes of Panic Attacks

Panic attacks with uncontrollable fears are associated primarily with neurological disorders. But the true causes of the development of panic attacks today remain poorly understood. As practice shows, signs of a panic attack can appear in the following cases:

  • with vegetative-vascular dystonia;
  • against the background of a stressful condition;
  • with genetic predisposition;
  • in the presence of mental illness. nine0006

To this list, you can also add excessive physical activity, being among a large crowd of people, the consequences of hormone therapy, ischemia or stroke, emotional instability of the individual.

Risk factors

Symptoms of panic attacks may appear due to some risk factors:

  • hereditary predisposition;
  • presence of diseases of the thyroid gland; nine0006
  • constant stress in the family, at work, loss of a loved one;
  • low self-esteem and great suspicion;
  • persistent sleep disturbances;
  • excessive consumption of alcohol;
  • uncontrolled intake of drugs without a doctor's prescription and caffeinated drinks;
  • presence of phobias.

What is the danger of panic attacks

Anxiety and panic attacks cannot cause death in a person, but if symptoms and signs of this disorder appear frequently, medical attention should be sought. Otherwise, the risks of developing phobias increase when a person, fearing a recurrence of an attack, will deliberately avoid people, visit supermarkets, and use public transport. There are cases when people became recluses.

Since the fear of panic attacks is considered a mental disorder, if left untreated, serious complications can appear, such as: nine0003

  • asthenia;
  • insomnia;
  • depressive states;
  • phobias;
  • neurasthenia;
  • neurosis from panic attacks.

Refusal of timely treatment can lead to a personality disorder, which in the advanced stage cannot be cured. Some people suffering from frequent panic attacks may experience food refusal with the subsequent development of dystrophy and diseases of the internal organs. nine0003

Not knowing how to cope with a panic attack, often a person closes in on himself and avoids visiting a professional psychologist, and then the situation can worsen up to suicide.

When to see a doctor

Attacks and symptoms of a panic attack in women and men are not life-threatening, but if left untreated, their frequency and intensity can increase, as a result of which a person becomes a hostage to such situations, he cannot live and work normally. Without delay, make an appointment with our psychotherapists at JSC "Medicina" (clinic of Academician Roitberg) in the Central District of Moscow, if you have at least once encountered a sudden condition that is accompanied by the following symptoms: nine0003

  • headache, dizziness;
  • shortness of breath, shortness of breath;
  • fear of death;
  • tachycardia, irregular heartbeat;
  • increased sweating, chills;
  • tremor, numbness of limbs;
  • nausea, pain and cramps in the abdomen.

A panic attack doctor - a specialist with extensive experience and a wealth of professional knowledge knows how to get rid of panic attacks effectively. nine0003

Preparing for a doctor's visit

Before visiting a psychotherapist, no special preparation is required, but you should be prepared to tell him in detail and in detail about the symptoms and signs of the disease that you experienced during moments of panic. It is important to answer all questions frankly so that the doctor can get a complete picture of the problem and determine how to treat panic attacks.

Panic Attack Diagnosis

Diagnosing the disorder is not easy, even for an experienced professional, as the symptoms of panic attacks can be similar to other mental disorders.

Therefore, an accurate diagnosis includes a number of medical measures:

  • external examination of the patient;
  • reflex test;
  • electrocardiogram;
  • examination of the abdomen for the presence / absence of internal bleeding; nine0006
  • listening to the lungs;
  • blood pressure measurement.

In order to rule out other pathologies and accurately establish that the patient is suffering from panic attacks, diagnostics are carried out using modern equipment, special tests and analyses.

Heart rhythm disturbance is studied not by one cardiogram, but by wearing the device for 2 days. With myocardial ischemia, the electrocardiogram is taken at rest with a load. In addition, an ultrasound of the heart is performed. An MRI is performed to rule out a stroke. An MRI is also done to rule out a brain tumor. To rule out bronchial asthma, the patient is tested for allergens and breath tests. Ultrasound studies are performed to determine the presence / absence of internal bleeding. nine0003

The presence of mental disorders is determined by a psychotherapist.

Important! If the symptoms of a mental attack with impaired coordination, partial hearing loss, impaired coordination of movements, visual impairment, the occurrence of convulsions of the upper and lower extremities were observed once, then they are not considered signs of the disease.

JSC "Medicina" (clinic of Academician Roitberg) in the Central District of Moscow (nearby metro stations Mayakovskaya, Belorusskaya, Novoslobodskaya, Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya) has all the necessary resources to make an accurate diagnosis and provide qualified assistance to patients. nine0003

Treatment

A panic attack is not a sentence, but a completely curable condition. Achievements of modern medicine can reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures, and then completely get rid of this problem. The greatest efficiency is achieved through the use of psychotherapeutic and drug treatment in combination.

Note that the key point in the treatment of panic attacks in women and men is the use of individual psychotherapy. It is this method that makes it possible to determine the causes of fear and teach the patient to control his condition. nine0003

In addition, the treatment of panic attacks is carried out using different methods of psychotherapy, depending on how panic attacks manifest themselves:

  • cognitive behavioral therapy;
  • hypnosuggestive therapy;
  • autogenic training.

The most effective form of treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which involves removing the patterns of thought and behavior that cause panic attacks. nine0003

With the help of a psychotherapist, the patient learns to look and perceive fears not “automatically”, but in a real light. Using a safe method, the doctor simulates situations that cause panic attacks, which allow you to dull the feeling of fear over time, and then the disease can be overcome.

Hypnosuggestive therapy is based on suggestion with a targeted effect on the anxiety state. By receiving correct and positive attitudes from the doctor, the patient learns to overcome panic, protect himself from stress and cope with a panic attack on his own. nine0003

Home remedies

If you have had panic attacks, you should know what to do when you have a panic attack. It is recommended that you always have a sedative in the form of an infusion or sedative tablets with you. Seizures can be controlled by massaging the fingertips and earlobes. Learn to convince yourself that all fears are unfounded and do not pose a threat to you.

Once you learn to look at things realistically, you will be able to get rid of panic attacks. It is necessary to sleep enough, eat healthy food, avoid watching programs and movies that cause psycho-emotional overload and stress. After a panic attack, try not to withdraw into yourself, but look at the world positively, and treat yourself to a cup of tea with mint and honey at night! nine0003

Myths and dangerous misconceptions in the treatment of panic attacks

There are various myths about panic attacks, including that they can turn into schizophrenia. In fact, neurosis and panic attacks are related, and this emotional disorder is effectively treated by specialists who know how to deal with panic attacks.

Many people are convinced that there is no effective treatment for such a problem, believing that the pills will have to be taken until death. This is also a myth, since modern medicine has every opportunity to rid patients of this problem. nine0003

Prevention

The best prevention of panic attacks is a positive outlook on everything that happens around, the ability not to exaggerate the problems that accompany us through life. Learn to enjoy every moment of life and not see fears where there are none.

Get enough sleep, give up bad habits, lead an active lifestyle and the world will sparkle for you with new colors. Sign up for yoga classes to learn how to live in harmony with yourself and overcome imaginary fears and concerns. nine0003

How to make an appointment with a psychotherapist

This can be done easily and quickly: you can call +7 (495) 775-73-60 around the clock or fill out the form on the website.

Panic attacks. Whom to contact and how a neurologist can help?

Over the past 2 years, much has changed in the life of all mankind. We have to adapt to new, sometimes very difficult, conditions. From TV and the Internet, we are constantly pressed with disturbing news and not the best forecasts, or the unknown in the future. nine0003

Someone copes with this easily and is ready for change, while someone falls into a state of panic and cannot do anything about it. The normal reaction of people when faced with the difficulties of life is to try to understand what is happening and what to do with it next.

Our body is a mirror of our mental state and reflects these problems in the form of symptoms that are difficult to distinguish from serious diseases of organic origin.

On one not the best day, a person is faced with a new state for himself and begins to suspect that 9 has covered him0227 panic attack . Let's figure out what it is, how to survive this state and not go crazy (despite the fact that before that you clearly controlled everything in life) and what strategy to develop in order to emerge victorious from this situation.

Panic attack (panic) is a short-term episode of intense anxiety with a sudden onset, reaching a maximum within a few minutes, accompanied by anxiety or fear of death, loss of control, combined with severe disturbances in the work of the heart, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract. nine0228

If this condition begins to recur (with symptoms may vary slightly), then doctors already talk about panic disorder or episodic paroxysmal anxiety . Unfortunately, the patient quickly develops a fear of waiting for an attack.

Signs of a panic attack

  • Heart . The characteristic onset of an attack is accompanied by symptoms from the cardiovascular system - with a sudden onset of a "strong heartbeat", a feeling of "interruptions", "stop", discomfort or pain in the region of the heart. nine0003

  • Pressure . Most panic attacks are accompanied by a rise in blood pressure, the numbers of which can be quite high.

  • Asphyxiation . The most pronounced violations in the respiratory system: shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air with shortness of breath and hyperventilation, "a feeling of suffocation." Describing an attack, patients report that they “caught their throat”, “the air stopped flowing”, “it became stuffy”. nine0003

  • Indigestion . Gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, vomiting, belching, epigastric discomfort, feeling of fullness or abdominal pain may also be observed. As a rule, at the time of a panic attack, dizziness, sweating, tremor with a feeling of chills, “waves” of heat and cold, paresthesia, coldness of the hands and feet are observed.

  • Appearance . Changes in complexion, pulse rate, fluctuations in blood pressure are objectively determined, and dissociation is often found between the subjective experience of autonomic disorders by patients and their severity during an objective examination.

The disease can develop slowly, over months or years, or it can develop quickly, over days or weeks.

As panic attacks continue, they can be associated with various life circumstances, which become, as it were, conditioned stimuli. Attacks can be repeated in similar situations in which the attack occurred for the first time (metro, transport, loneliness), fear is formed in anticipation of an attack. nine0003

How can you help yourself with a panic attack?

  1. Analyze the situation . If you have the above symptoms, you must first determine whether this is a panic attack as a one-time occurrence against the background of stress (illness) or there is a fixation of panic and you will clearly need medical help.
  2. Focus on your breath . Remember that the first first aid is to go out into the air, deeply and consciously begin to breathe. If there is no way to walk, then just lie down, take a comfortable position, breathe deeply and slowly. nine0006
  3. Don't be alone . Do not hesitate to ask for help from those who are nearby, do not hide your condition. Discuss what happened. Don't be alone with the problem!
  4. Make an appointment with a doctor . If the episodes recur, a doctor can help resolve the problem. Before taking, think about the circumstances under which seizures occur. These can be:
  • viewing disturbing news;
  • conversation with a friend, quarrel with relatives; nine0006
  • situation at work with colleagues;
  • study exam;
  • watching movies;
  • travel by public transport, elevator, etc.).

Panic attack treatment by a neurologist

Many people ask the question: how and how can a neurologist help me? It's forever. Nothing like this! It is a myth. Panic attacks are very well treated. If you think about it, it's time to contact a neurologist and strictly follow his recommendations. nine0315
  • The doctor will examine you,
  • will conduct tests,
  • listens carefully, asks specific questions,
  • will match the symptoms and facts of your life,
  • will prescribe a basic treatment that will start working immediately.
  • If necessary, will prescribe additional examinations.

The doctor will tell you how to act in your individual situation!

  1. If at the appointment he reveals violations of the cardiovascular system that are clearly permanent in nature, he will refer you to a cardiologist, for an ECG, for monitoring heart rate (Holter). This is necessary to determine if there is a pathology of the heart and whether it is necessary to take control of the heart rhythm and heart rate with medication.
  2. If the doctor suspects panic attacks on the background of hypertension (high blood pressure), then he will refer to ABPM and pressure adjustment.
    3. nine0005 If he reveals a permanent psycho-traumatic situation (as the cause of the development of panic attacks), which can be removed with the help of psychotherapeutic techniques, he will give a referral to a psychotherapist.
  3. If the leading symptom is a violation of the gastrointestinal tract, then together with a gastroenterologist, he will remove unpleasant symptoms, find out what hidden chronic disorders the patient has (they are the most pronounced during a panic attack).
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