Paper Bag Trick Cured My Panic

Jul 27 2008 Dr Gareth Smith

Q I WAS rushed to hospital after becoming very short of breath. I thought it was a severe asthma attack but the doctor told me it was a panic attack. I was surprised when he gave me a paper bag to blow into. How do I control panic attacks?

A PANIC is a normal emotional response to a threat.

When you feel in danger, the body releases adrenaline into the bloodstream, causing the muscles to tense up, the heart to beat faster, breathing rate to increase and you sweat.

If you overbrea the, you build up high levels of oxygen in the muscles that causes tingling and the muscles can spasm.

A panic attack is where this happens without there being a recognisable threat.

They can be brought on by many things, including stress and depression.

I suggest you buy a book called Overcoming Anxiety by Helen Kennerly, which has lots of useful tips for dealing with panic attacks.

Q IS it possible to get rid of floaters in the eye? They are really irritating, especially when it is sunny.

A FLOATERS are caused by tiny accumulations of protein in the clear jelly of the eye. They can look like little worms or dots that seem to move around as your eye moves. They usually occur with age and it is quite normal to have a few.

Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done about them as they cannot be removed by surgery or lasers.

It is important you have your eyes tested if you notice more floaters than normal as this can be a sign of a more serious problem in the back of the eye.

Q MY dad has been coughing a lot and I noticed some blood in his hanky. He told me that it was nothing but I am worried.

A YOUR dad needs to be examined by his doctor.

Haemoptysis - blood in the spit - is something that can't be ignored.

The most common cause is a small rupture of a blood vessel at the back of the throat or the nose brought on by coughing but it can be a sign of something more serious such as an infection in the lung or a growth.

Phone his doctor and make an appointment for him tomorrow.

Q I AM only 28 but I am bothered by really sore and stiff finger joints, especially my thumbs. Doing up buttons is becoming difficult. What can I do?

A IT sounds like you have inflammation in the joints. The medical name for this is arthritis and there are many different types. You are too young for it to be due to wear and tear on the joints which makes me think it may be a reactive arthritis or an autoimmune problem.

You will need to see your GP who can refer you to a rheumatologist after they run a few preliminary blood tests.

Don't just ignore it and hope it goes away.