Voluntary hyperventilation: the danger of respiratory alkalosis

Caution : You must consult your doctor for your health. This page presents only a personal and alternative point of view which should not be considered as an attempt to prescribe medicine.

The metabolism of the human body is intimately linked to the process of respiration.

Thus, the latter may for example be subject to an alveolar type dysfunction when the body is subjected to hyperventilation.

This is called respiratory alkalosis.

One of the causes of this condition is voluntary hyperventilation observed in particular in alternative medicine practices.

It is also found in sports disciplines, including snorkeling.

The repercussions can be superficial or severe.

Fortunately, several solutions are used as a stopgap.

Voluntary hyperventilation: what is it?

Voluntary hyperventilation is a form of breathing that is practiced by accentuating the inspiration phase.

There is an increase in the entry of air into the lungs.

Likewise, gas exchange increases in the pulmonary alveoli, which leads to greater absorption of oxygen.

Conversely, the level of carbon dioxide decreases significantly in the blood.

When this drop reaches a given threshold, an imbalance in the acid-base concentration of the blood takes place in the individual concerned.

We then witness a respiratory alkalosis, which is the opposite of a respiratory acidosis .

Voluntary hyperventilation is designated by practitioners as one of the official causes of respiratory alkalosis.

Respiratory alkalosis: responsible manifestations and practices

Respiratory alkalosis is medically identified in two variants: acute and chronic forms.

In the first case, the subject's cerebral functioning is greatly disturbed.

This can lead to syncope.

The individual then remains in this state until the breathing cycle returns to normal.

This fading phenomenon is observed in holotropic breathing therapies, also called "rebirth".

Other symptoms seen clinically are, for example, mental confusion and muscle twitching.

In some cases, we also notice a paresthesia, that is to say a sensory disorder accompanied by tingling at the level of the nerve endings of the body.

Chronic respiratory alkalosis remains the less serious type.

The pathology in this circumstance takes on an asymptomatic appearance.

Voluntary hyperventilation practices responsible for respiratory alkalosis

Two practices using a respiratory mode based on voluntary hyperventilation are commonly associated with the occurrence of respiratory alkalosis.

These include snorkeling and meditation employed by practitioners of alternative medicine.

Freediving specialists use hyperventilation to increase their breathing limit.

As explained previously, hyperventilation causes an increase in the level of oxygen in the blood.

This helps the diver to fuel their lung cells for a longer time, especially when they are underwater.

However, by employing this technique, the high concentration of oxygen in the blood causes an imbalance of blood pressure during the aquatic immersion.

This is made worse by the low proportion of carbon dioxide.

However, the cerebral mechanisms that regulate breathing are naturally programmed to trigger a loss of consciousness in the event of prolonged gas scarcity.

It is the innate survival system of the human brain to safeguard the vital functions of the body in the event of danger.

This is how apnea divers come to find themselves in a situation of acute respiratory alkalosis.

This is why it is strongly recommended not to hyperventilate before entering the water.

Alternative therapies constitute the other discipline where one voluntarily exercises hyperventilation: yoga, sophrology, meditation ...

These so-called "mind" medicines use it to develop breathing techniques to improve the level of relaxation of the body.

The practice here consists of alternating phases of hyperventilation with phases of air retention.

The decrease in respiratory gases creates hallucinatory and vertigo effects in patients which can potentially induce syncope depending on the subject.

Respiratory alkalosis has also been identified in high level athletes, in this case those who practice disciplines such as athletics, swimming, etc.

What solutions exist for respiratory alkalosis?

To provide assistance to a person suffering from respiratory alkalosis, healthcare professionals recommend taking emergency measures.

This involves, for example, making the victim breathe using a bag.

This method makes it possible to very quickly increase the quantity of carbon dioxide absorbed in the pulmonary alveoli.

It is also advisable to avoid plastic bags which may increase the panic effect of the subject.

The specialists rather recommend a cardboard bag in this circumstance or the wearing a mask.

Furthermore, given the presence of an aquatic environment, hyperventilation is not recommended for divers when they practice freediving alone.

Respiratory alkalosis coupled with loss of consciousness would have fatal consequences in a submarine environment.

Conclusion

Voluntary hyperventilation is characterized by an accentuation of the normal cycle of breathing.

The consequences are multiple: imbalance of gas pressure in the blood, dysfunction of pulmonary exchanges, cerebral trauma, tetany… To avoid respiratory alkalosis, special precautions are requested from practitioners.

To quickly relieve respiratory alkalosis caused by voluntary hyperventilation is the accumulation of CO2: hold your breath after exhalation, put on a mask, breathe in a bag.

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