The symptoms of a panic attack can begin without warning.  Its symptoms may be felt within the body as it reacts to an uncontrollable fear like pounding or racing heart, chest pains or difficulty breathing, stomach upset or nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, tingling or numbness in the hands, hot flashes or chills.  A lot of panic attack symptoms, however, are mental and may include intense fear, the need to escape, a dreamlike feeling and the belief that you are losing control.

The fear of more panic attacks often fuels the condition itself. Most people who have had one panic attack are likely to experience others.  The sufferers then normally try to avoid the situations, people and places that have been present when they had panic attacks in order to avoid having more.  They might develop a phobia about these situations.  Panic attacks are different from other types of anxiety because they can happen so suddenly and unexpectedly.  They can occur without being provoked and are often times disabling.  A panic disorder is this rhythm of avoidance and anxiety.  A Panic disorder can have a serious impact an individual’s daily life unless the person receives effective treatment.  Panic attacks have developed into a serious health concern in America since 1.7% or 3 million of adults will suffer them in their lifetime.  The peak age at which an individual to experience their first panic attack is between the ages of 15 and 19.

Panic attacks are one of the most distressing minutes of a person life.  People continue to misinterpret the symptoms of a panic attack as those of a heart attack.  Some people suffer panic attacks while they sleep.  But these night time panic attacks are less common.  Only 40%-70% of people who have daytime panic attacks will have night time attacks.  These attacks tend to cause sufferers to wake suddenly from sleep in a state of sudden anxiety through no apparent cause and can have all the other symptoms of a panic attack.  Night time panic attacks can last up to 10 minutes but it tae s a lot longer to calm down from them.

Irrational and uncontrollable fear is the root cause behind panic attacks but her symptoms almost seem to cut deeper then phobias.

A doctor can prescribe many different types of medications to control panic attack symptoms. Medications can also reduce the number and severity of panic attacks plus, reduce the anxiety of having another attack. By reducing serotonin reuptake, (giving them the name SSRI's), medications such as Prozac, Zoloft are effective products to help panic attack victims.. SSRI are antidepressants and commonly prescribed drugs to treat depression. Nerves in the brain use neurotransmitters to communicate with one another and these medications work on them. Neurotransmitters get passed from nerve to nerve. Nerves will "reuptake" neurotransmitters if the nerve that is receiving them does receive all of them. By inhibiting this "reuptake" of serotonin SSRI's make it more available to other nerves in the brain. Tricyclic anti-depressants (TCAs) such as Tofranil, Norpramin, or Anafranil were used more commonly before SSRI's.  However SSRI's are simply a lot safer. TCAs have been used less often as a result. Although, when used in the right individual with close monitoring, these medications can be an effective treatment for panic disorders. Side effects, unfortunately, are a natural element of medical treatment. This is why it is vital to consult your doctor in advance of going on treatment. Pregnant women should not use the medication.

The Food and Drug Administration also sanctions some medications from benzodiazepine families. Some examples of this medication are Xanax, Valium, Ativan, or Klonopin. In reducing nervous tension and anxiety these medications are also extremely effective for panic attcks. Unlike SSRI's this type of medication can occasionally be prescribed "as needed".

Panic disorder symptoms should start to improve within a few weeks after beginning medications. A higher dose or another medication might be needed if improvement is not seen in 6-8 weeks. Most medications need to be used for a year of more. In order to make the person not dependant on the medication a doctor will usually prescribe a lower dose after this time. Reducing the medication like this can result in an greater number in panic attacks. Often when this happens the original dose is used for a long time. Some people may have to continue medication for a prolonged period of time.