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First Aid & Emergencies

Call 911 NOW if you are having:

  • Chest Pain
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Severe Bleeding
  • Sudden Weakness or Numbness
  • A Medical Emergency
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Hyperventilation Treatment

 Call 911 if the person has:

  • Chest pain that is crushing or squeezing or feels like a heavy weight on the chest
  • Difficulty breathing

1. Reassure the Person

  • Calm the person to help reduce anxiety.

 

2. Help the Person Relax Breathing

Have the person sit down and try these strategies:

  • Breathe through pursed lips as if blowing out a candle
  • Cover the mouth and one nostril and breathe only through the other nostril
  • Breathe slowly, taking 1 breath every 5 seconds
  • Take deep, slow breaths from the abdomen ("belly breathing")

 

3. When to Get Medical Help

Go to a hospital emergency room if:

  • The person's symptoms don't get better after several minutes.
  • Symptoms get worse or the person is in pain.

 

WebMD Medical Reference

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Reviewed by Varnada Karriem-Norwood, MD on November 07, 2011
© 2011 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

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