History of hyperventilation

 In the American Civil War Da Costa saw many soldiers who had symptoms such as chest pain, palpitations, sweating and shortness of breath, which he could find no physical cause. The one thing that they had in common was a breathing pattern that was in excess of the norm.

Danish scientist, Christian Bohr discovered why many of the symptoms of hyperventilation occur when he researched the effect that hyperventilation has on the pH of the blood and the associated release of oxygen. The ‘Bohr effect’ and the ‘oxygen-dissociation curve’ are attributed to his work.

Further research

Scientists around the world did a lot of research on hyperventilation in the early 1900s. For instance:

• American researcher Yandell Henderson killed dogs in 1908 by causing them to hyperventilate strongly and therefore seriously depleting their carbon dioxide concentration.
• In the 1910s Haldane, Douglas and Poulton showed that voluntary hyperventilation could lead to apnoeas, or a pause in the breathing that is not deliberate. 
• Around the same time, Boothby showed that voluntary hyperventilating could continue to raise the automatic breathing pattern for several minutes once the breathing was allowed to follow its own automatic pattern.
• Haldane and others proved in the 1920s that hyperventilation can lead to an increase in the blood pH, and a lowering of the bicarbonate ion concentration normally found in the blood.
• Applying heat either by hot baths or saunas was shown to increase the breathing in the 1920s.

Modern research

Scientists. physiotherapists and doctors around the world today are still fascinated by the importance of carbon dioxide, proving that the conventional approach to hyperventilation and carbon dioxide is incorrect.

Some of these people who have published research or books on the subject, much of which is available through the internet, include:

• Beverly Timmons
• Diana Innocenti
• Dinah Bradley
• Christopher Bass
• L Claude Lum
• Gregory Magarian
• Robert Fried
• Ronald Ley
• William Gardner 

And there are many more who are also interested in setting wrongs right.

Proving hyperventilation is the cause

It is relatively simple to establish if hyperventilation is causing the symptoms, that often seem to have no connection at all to moving air in and out of the lungs; have the person deliberately increase the speed and depth of their breathing to see what happens next.

Note: This action is called the ‘hyperventilation challenge’ and it is NOT RECOMMENDED that it be performed without direct supervision of a suitably qualified health professional. At least one death has been attributed to the hyperventilation challenge because of underlying health problems.