Hyperventilation is deep or rapid breathing that can be caused by panic or anxiety.
Signs and symptoms

Symptoms:

• Light-headedness

• Shortness of breath

• Feeling of not getting enough air in

• Chest discomfort

• Feeling of panic, impending doom

• Rapid breathing and palpitations

• Blurred vision

• Tingling in the lips, fingers and toes

• Palpitations

• Severe anxiety

• Feeling of detachment and not in full control (depersonalisation)

Signs:

• Rapid breathing, occasional deep breath, sighing breathing

• Rapid pulse

• Altered level of consciousness

• Hand and finger spasms (fingers and wrists become claw-like, the thumb held stiffly across the palm)

First aid

• Be assertive provide calm reassurance, help them regain composure

• Instruct them to only breathe in and out through their nose slowly. This is difficult and makes the casualty concentrate on something else

• Continue assertive instructions until the casualty slows their breathing or reduces the amount of anxiety and reaction to the incident