Easing Panic Attacks, Naturally — Thriving with Eastern Medicine & Acupuncture

Panic Attacks may feel like the world is crushing on your chest, or having a heart attack; but there are ways to ease their intensity, how often they happen, and gain back power in one’s breath. Panic Attacks: are a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause” (1). It is common for one to have 1-2 panic attacks within a lifetime. Panic disorder is when panic attacks repeated, often, and unexpectedly alongside constant fear, fright, or anxiety.

What does Panic Attacks Look like? The following symptoms can occupy a panic attack: Heart racing, rapid, shallow breathing, hot flashes, sweating, trembling, fear/fright/anxiety, “feel under threat”, chest pain, numbness/tingling, SOB, detached feeling, nausea, stomach cramping (1). Some feel all, or a few, of these symptoms during a panic attack. The goal in understanding when one is starting includes learning grounding and awareness exercises.

Energetics of Panic: Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, explains how e-motions are energy in motion. If e-motions move, are felt, and release; there is good flow. If they linger; then, they can cause imbalances. Panic includes the emotions of fear, fright, shock. Fear makes qi (energy/oxygen) descend, leaving one feel light headed. Shock scatters the qi, leaving one feeling ungrounded, disoriented, and trembling. Anger makes qi rise and feels like a surge of heat rising through the chest.

Emotionally: Panic attacks are our bodies’ way of telling us it has reached its limit, a boundary has been crossed, or “being strong for too long”.

If one is feeling an onset of a panic attack: breathing is one of the most simple and quickest way to gain control. Breathing in slow, controlled (as much as possible) breaths will sooth and calm the body and mind.

Breath: Inhale for 5 seconds, hold breath for 5 seconds, and exhale for 5 seconds.

Affirmation while breathing: Choose one, or make up your own:

“ I am Safe”.

“Be Here Now”.

“I am grounded”.

Organs Involved & Acupressure Point:

~ Fear/Fright are related to the kidney as the kidney qi releases adrenaline and cortisol in response to the “felt” stressor. Kidney 1 helps ground and calm the mind. This is the first acupuncture point on the kidney channel. It is the closest connection we have the Earth and when we make contact with the ball of our feet-we reactivate and ground ourselves into the NOW. See picture below for Kidney 1 point.

~ Shock: both the kidneys and the heart have a connection. Shock makes one feel scattered and ungrounded. The panic comes from the feeling of falling apart beneath the pressure. The Kidney-9: Harmonizes the heart and kidneys. It connects, calms, and sooths the shock. Picture below.

~ Anger: The Livers houses the emotion of Anger. Usually, Anger is felt when a boundary has been crossed with ourselves, or someone else. The Anger is known to go across the stomach and rise upwards towards the head. Anger feels like a fire-ball, or intense pressure pushing upwards. This could upset our breathing. Liver 3: regulates liver qi by soothing anger/rage/stress. Calms and grounds.

TCM Nutrition to help kidney health. Try increases one of these foods per week to support kidney health, especially during the winter. The winter is when the kidneys are most active and provides ample time to nourish the kidney. Grapes, plums, boysenberries, celery, turnips, watercress, asparagus, millet, endive, cabbage, black beans, amaranth, rye, barley, quinoa, oats, kelp, nori, chlorella, miso, tangerines, plums, cinnamon, dill seed, and chives.

B6, iron deficiency with panic attacks: Lower serotonin levels contribute to increase Panic attacks. Vitamin B6 & iron are cofactors for serotonin to be used (2). 80% of serotonin is made in the gut and relies on nutrition and supplementation of B6 and iron to be used for optimal function. The ways to ease panic attacks in the long-term is through:

1. Address gut inflammation. Inflammed gut= less serotonin produced by gut bacteria.

2. Increase vitamin B6, iron rich foods. B6 foods= turkey breast, grass-fed beef, pistachios, tuna, pinto beans, avocado, chicken breast, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, salmon, eggs, chicken liver, carrots, spinach, sweet potato, chickpeas, bananas, green peas

3. Supplement: sublingual vitamin B6, or B-complex, is good. Normal store brands such as Target, Walmart have poor quality. Locally, Sprout’s, Whole foods, Pure encapsulation, or local Health Food store will have higher quality. *** Caution: make sure to only take the recommended DV (Daily Value) for B6 as one can have too much and have side-effects. Once can have their vitamin B6 levels checked through their doctor, or request lab-work.

Brain and vagal nerve: The vagus nerve connects the mind to the gut organs. One can increase this connection through exercises such as singing, hymming, gargling salt water, Qi Gong breathing, vocal breathing exercises, and more.

Herbal Remedies: There are many options for herbal remedies to sooth panic attacks including nervines (soothes nervous tension), adaptogenic (helps adapt to stress), and detoxing herbs. It is recommended carrying a herbal extract (liquid herbal blend) for anxiety, or panic attacks, on your person; so one can use it with the onset of anxiety, or panic. Some suggestions include: Passionflower, Chamomile, Motherwort, Ashwaganda, Skull-cap, Rhodiola. These could be found at a local Health food store as herbal extract, or tea at major grocery companies. Make sure the herbal blend is sourced locally, organically, or wild-crafted. Stay -tuned for another article expanding on nervine and adaptogenic herbs for soothing anxiety.

May these tips help sooth and empower you away from the panic. Remember, try one tip at a time. For the initial panic, try herbal blends by an herbalist formulated for you, grounding exercises, and breathing. For more long-term self-care, try including breathing and acupressure points alongside with some whole food nutrition.

Thank you!

Danielle Dickshinski, L.Ac.

Resources:

1. “Panic Attacks & Panic Disorder”. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/panic-attacks/symptoms-causes/syc-20376021.

“Low serum concentration of vitamin B6 and iron are related to panic attack and hyperventilation attack”. Y. Mikawa, 2013. Ousar.lib.okayama-