Can panic attacks be a symptom of something else?

Q: Could symptoms of anxiety signal an underlying medical condition – not a mental health issue? A: Absolutely. If your blood sugar drops too low, it can cause you to sweat and feel shaky, which may be confused with anxiety. If your thyroid gland is overactive, you can sweat excessively and feel restless and nervous.
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Can panic attacks be caused by something other than anxiety?

Causes other than anxiety

Some symptoms that are common to panic attacks may also occur in some physical conditions. Some medications and drugs – such as tranquillisers, alcohol and caffeine – may also induce panic-like symptoms.
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What can be mistaken for a panic attack?

A panic attack may be mistaken for a heart attack. A person with panic disorder often lives in fear of another attack, and may be afraid to be alone or far from medical help. People with panic disorder have at least 4 of the following symptoms during an attack: Chest pain or discomfort.
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Can panic attacks be something else?

Panic attacks and heart attacks in particular have similar -- and sometimes identical -- symptoms. Both can cause dizziness, chest pain, and trouble breathing. They can also trigger sweating, nausea, and a feeling of fear. It can be hard to tell them apart without testing.
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How do you know if it's a panic attack or something else?

Panic attacks typically include some of these signs or symptoms: Sense of impending doom or danger. Fear of loss of control or death. Rapid, pounding heart rate.
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Signs of a Panic Attack



What causes panic attacks for no reason?

It is not yet known what causes panic attacks but certain factors may play an important role, including genetics, mental health conditions, major stress or having a predisposition to stress. Panic attacks are typically experienced as a result of misinterpreting physical symptoms of anxiety.
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Should I go to ER for panic attack?

If you suspect that you are experiencing a panic attack for the first time, it is always recommended to go to the emergency room. So if you're wondering, “Should I go to the ER for a panic attack?” the answer is yes. The primary reason for this has a lot to do with the unknown.
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What are 3 types of panic attacks?

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) of panic symptoms identified three types of panic which were consistent over time and for which reliable scales were constructed to measure derealization, cardiac panic, and respiratory panic.
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Can a brain tumor be mistaken for anxiety?

You may feel drowsy, confused and unable to think. Depression and anxiety, especially if either develops suddenly, may be an early symptom of a brain tumor. You may become uninhibited or behave in ways you never have before.
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What is cardiac panic?

Panic disorder – can be associated with cardiac disease or mistaken for heart attack. Feelings of extreme agitation and terror are often accompanied by dizziness, chest pains, stomach discomfort, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate.
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Can your body have a panic attack but not your brain?

“Sometimes panic might start in your body itself, and then create processes within your brain. Other times, your brain could initiate the entire onset of a panic attack, which then manifests itself in your body,” says Feinstein. In some cases, genetics or changes in brain function may be at play.
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Can a panic attack damage your heart?

Both autonomic activation and hyperventilation (via alkalosis) during panic attacks can lead to coronary artery spasm. This coronary spasm can then lead to myocardial ischemia and cardiac chest pain.
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Can panic attacks be caused by nothing?

Panic attacks can happen at any time and while they are sometimes triggered by a stressful life event, they can often appear to be triggered by nothing at all. It's important to know that having a panic attack doesn't mean you have panic disorder.
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Can you have panic attacks but not panic disorder?

Not everyone who experiences a panic attack will develop panic disorder. Panic attacks often include physical symptoms that might feel like a heart attack, such as trembling, tingling, or rapid heart rate. Panic attacks can occur at any time.
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Why am I having anxiety and panic attacks all of a sudden?

What causes sudden onset of anxiety? A sudden onset of anxiety can be triggered by a plethora of things—from a major event, like a death in the family, to everyday stressors, such as work or budget worries—but sometimes it can be caused by seemingly nothing at all—or even issues you're not consciously aware of.
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What cancers cause anxiety symptoms?

Tumors of the adrenal gland, pituitary gland, pancreas or thyroid all cause symptoms of anxiety and panic disorder. Cancers of the lung, brain and spinal cord also share some symptoms with anxiety.
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What are the first warning signs of a brain tumor?

Brain Tumor: Symptoms and Signs
  • Headaches, which may be severe and worsen with activity or in the early morning.
  • Seizures. People may experience different types of seizures. Certain drugs can help prevent or control them. ...
  • Personality or memory changes.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Fatigue.
  • Drowsiness.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Memory problems.
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What are obvious signs of a brain tumor?

Symptoms
  • New onset or change in pattern of headaches.
  • Headaches that gradually become more frequent and more severe.
  • Unexplained nausea or vomiting.
  • Vision problems, such as blurred vision, double vision or loss of peripheral vision.
  • Gradual loss of sensation or movement in an arm or a leg.
  • Difficulty with balance.
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Are panic attacks mental or physical?

Panic attacks. During a panic attack you get a rush of intense mental and physical symptoms. It can come on very quickly and for no apparent reason. A panic attack can be very frightening and distressing.
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How often is too often for panic attacks?

Generally, if you have 4 or more panic attacks and if you always worry about having another, you have panic disorder. Symptoms of a panic attack may include: Pounding heart. Sweating.
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Which brain part is most responsible for panic attacks?

The Amygdala houses the “fight or flight” response and a part of the “emotional” side of the brain. It is thought those suffering from a panic disorder experience an overactive Amygdala, characterized by an intense fear of something taking over the senses.
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How long is too long for a panic attack?

Most panic attacks last between 5 and 20 minutes. Some have been reported to last up to an hour. The number of attacks you have will depend on how severe your condition is. Some people have attacks once or twice a month, while others have them several times a week.
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What happens if a panic attack goes untreated?

Panic attacks and chronic anxiety put a lot of stress on the heart with increased blood pressure and pulse. As such, people with unmanaged anxiety are more likely to have heart attacks than their peers, and those attacks are more likely to be fatal.
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When should you be hospitalized for anxiety?

An anxiety emergency or extreme panic attack may require an ER visit if the sufferer is unable to get it under control. Extreme cases of hyperventilation can lead to tachycardia, an occurrence where the heart is beating so fast that it is unable to properly pump blood throughout the body.
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What is the difference between panic attacks and anxiety attacks?

Panic and anxiety attacks both cause a rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, and a sense of distress. However, they typically differ in severity and cause. Panic attacks are often more intense and can occur with or without a trigger, while anxiety attacks are a response to a perceived threat.
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