Respiratory Acidosis: Carbon Dioxide & Hyperventilation

Respiratory acidosis is often linked to high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. Learn how to improve air intake through the nose and understand why exercise can trigger hyperventilation.

Is Exercise the Cause of Hyperventilation?

Hyperventilation is a state of uncontrolled, rapid breathing. The fast-paced breathing expels more carbon dioxide from your body than usual, causing your blood's carbon dioxide level to drop and its pH to rise. As a result, the arteries constrict, causing feelings of dizziness or light-headiness.

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Woman with sore throat

Causes of High Carbon Dioxide in the Blood

Carbon dioxide, a byproduct of metabolism, is carried in the blood to the lungs, where it is exhaled into the atmosphere. A high level of carbon dioxide in the blood, called hypercapnia, is usually accompanied by an increase in breathing to help return levels to normal.

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Wman breathing fresh air in winter in a snowy mountain

How to Get More Air Through Your Nose

Many people have difficulty getting enough air through the nose and breathe primarily through the mouth. Mouth breathing can cause problems such as snoring, dry mouth, sleep problems and fatigue. Issues like a crooked nasal septum, allergies or weak, flimsy nostrils can make nose breathing a challenge.

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