You may be going along in your day without any problems, when suddenly you are seized by an uncontrollable fear. You may have no reason to go into a panic attack, but if you suffer from panic disorder, such an attack can happen without warning or provocation. Some people suffer a panic attack once or twice and never again, the Mayo Clinic reports. For those with panic disorder, it can happen often and throughout your life. These kinds of disorders can be controlled, however, with treatment.
Rapid Heartbeat
When a panic attack hits, it can send your heart rate soaring. If you are a healthy adults, your heart will beat approximately 60 to 100 times per minute. But a panic attack can send your heart rate higher than 100 beats each minute in a condition called tachycardia. Another symptom associated with this may be pain in your chest.
Dysphoria
When you have panic disorder, an attack can send you into dysphoria. This is a sense that everything is bad, no matter what the reality of your situation is. It can manifest in a fear that you are going to die at any moment.
Breathing Problems
If you have panic disorder, you may also have problems with your breathing during an attack. You may hyperventilate and feel short of breath, as if you cannot get enough air into your lungs.
Sweating and Chills
Sudden, profuse sweating can be a symptom of panic disorder if it comes upon you without a typical reason, such as exerting yourself or being in a hot environment. This may be part of another symptom, known as hot flashes or flushing, which causes your skin to suddenly get red and feel warm. This can happen particularly in your face, but it also may occur throughout your body. Body chills also may occur, either following sudden sweating or by themselves. You also may tremble.
Throat Tightness and Headache
During a panic attack, your throat may feel tight, and this can cause you to have difficulty swallowing. Headaches also may occur. You also may feel as if you or the surrounding environment are spinning, and you may feel as if you are going to faint.
Abdominal Cramps and Nausea
A panic attack also can make you feel as if your stomach is constricting and you may have cramps in your abdomen. This kind of attack also may make you sick to your stomach and make you feel as if you are going to vomit.
