Panic attacks may occur rarely or frequently as part of a panic disorder, the Mayo Clinic states. In a panic attack, you suddenly have a fear that is intense and generally unrelated to reality. In other words, there may be no direct and apparent cause for the panic. Yet these attacks are serious and often quite intense. You may think you are dying, experiencing a heart attack or losing control of yourself. If you have panic attacks often, it is a panic disorder and you should seek aid from your physician or psychiatrist.
Heart Beats Faster
When you experience a panic attack, one of the first things that can happen is an accelerated heart rate known as tachycardia. It may be triggered by the "fight or flight" response. This may be accompanied by another symptom of the attack, pain in the chest. While the average panic attack lasts just a few minutes, according to the Cleveland Clinic, if they last longer they can have serious effects on your health.
Breath Grows Short
Because of the heightened sense of fear, you may experience shortness of breath or hyperventilation as symptoms of a panic attack. This may lead to another symptom, which is feeling like you are going to faint.
Skin and Muscle Changes
There are several symptoms of a panic attack that can affect your entire body. Trembling, for example, can affect you throughout your body, as can hot flashes or sudden flushing in which your body turns red and you may suddenly be sweating. The converse symptom of this is chills that affect the entire body. There also is the potential for nausea, cramps in your abdomen, headaches, dizziness, swallowing difficulties and throat tightness.
Mental Health Issues Arise
Because panic attacks are related to a mental condition, the fear may, while being a symptom itself, cause other symptoms that heighten that fear. For example, your fear may grow because, as symptoms begin to subside, you may suddenly fear that you are going to have yet another panic attack. Another symptom of the fear associated with panic attacks is a sense you feel--for no immediate or apparent reason--that you will die very soon. This impending death fear can potentially extend the panic attack.
