Lots of questions about lung and heart anxiety :(

[SxufferingSxoul]

I might be wrong or correct, but does a fast heart rate and a pounding heart affect breathing and make it more difficult? I heard that certain electrical impulses from the heart can trigger anxiety? Is this all true? Because propanolol decreases those electrical impulses or whatever and muscle tension, and if that’s true then my anxiety over starting it might decrease. One more question, does muscle tension from anxiety affect every single muscle in the body? Because there are a lot of muscles in the lungs, and I think these muscles are what are tensing up in me when I’m worried, since I cannot breathe and suffocate to the point I scream for help and I don’t even have any lung diseases or asthma. I just want to be a bit convinced that this is all anxiety. I hope its not muscle tension that’s only in the heart that propanolol helps with.

[1uglychild]

Hi,

I wish I could put in words the exact reason why we breathe so poorly in anxious/ panic situations but I can’t honestly explain the biochemical reasons that we start doing that, but it’s something that almost everyone with panic does. Think of every movie or tv show you’ve seen where someone is freaked out, anxious, etc. What do they always show them doing? Hyperventilating. You may not be doing it in over dramatic way but a more subtle yet equally scary way. When we don’t take in enough oxygen that does all kinds of things to our body that make us feel worse- tingling, muscle aches or weakness, dizziness.

I think you’ve noticed the shallow rapid breath and now your focusing on it, making it even more of a struggle to breathe properly.

From my own experience muscle tension happens where you expect it, shoulders maybe legs, back... the larger muscle groups that you use for physical activity. You could be right, I just am not certain.

I feel like maybe this is the one time you should do some googling, but only related to anxiety. I did a quick google of “why panic attacks cause shortness of breath” and the first thing to come up was a helpful very well mind article ( don’t know why I can’t link). At the top it had a tab about panic attacks and symptoms. I think you are aware of anxiety causing all these weird symptoms (which is awesome and a great step on the way to wellness) and looking for the reasons why anxiety makes you feel so bad might help you. But stick to googling Anxiety and nothing else.

[Ironj]

Propranolol and atenolol are both Bata Blocker typically used for anxiety symptoms. They both work with lowering heart rate and lowering adrenaline. Yes when you have a fast heart rate your breathing also is impacted. The muscle tension your feeling is your sternum or chest muscles. When you are sitting at the couch one day stop and pay attention to if your flexing you chest muscle. You may notice that infant without knowing it’s tight and just let it relax. Also in most cases your hyperventilating and don’t know it causing shortness of breath and chest pain. It’s all very common and brings people to the ER and causes health anxiety and the thought you having heart issues.

[SxufferingSxoul in reply to Ironj]

Oh okayy thank you so much, so lets say propanolol calms down my heart rate, will that mean that it will also relieve muscle te nsion therefore making it easier to breathe?

[Ironj in reply to SxufferingSxoul]

Propranolol will not relieve muscle tension completely, Benzodiazepine will control muscle tension and help with anxiety and tension. Together the work very well together.