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Panic attacks can happen to anyone, but they are far more common for people who have panic disorder, an anxiety disorder characterized by frequent attacks of intense fear and anxiety. They can be triggered by just about any situation, not only dangerous or threatening ones. Physical symptoms of a panic attack include:  Chest pain. This is generally localized to one area of your chest, rather than radiating across the left side of your body as with a heart attack.  Dizziness or faintness A sensation of choking or not being able to get enough air Nausea or vomiting. Vomiting is less likely with panic attacks than with heart attacks. Numbness or tingling sensations Rapid heartbeat Shortness of breath Sweating, clammy skin, or hot flashes Trembling or shaking During severe panic attacks, your hands or feet may cramp up or even become temporarily paralyzed. This symptom is thought to be caused by hyperventilation. In addition to physical symptoms, panic attacks are generally accompanied by mental or emotional symptoms. These may include:  Intense feelings of fear Fear of dying Fear of losing control Sense of doom Sense of detachment Sense of unreality The symptoms of a panic attack and a heart attack overlap in some areas. If you are in any doubt whether you are having a panic attack or a heart attack, call for emergency medical help. The symptoms of a heart attack include:  Chest pain. In heart attacks, this often feels like a sense of pressure, fullness, or squeezing. It usually lasts more than a few minutes. Pain in the upper body. The pain may radiate to your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach area in a heart attack. Shortness of breath. This may happen before you experience chest pain. Anxiety. You may feel fear or doom suddenly. Dizziness or faintness Sweating Nausea or vomiting. Heart attacks are more likely to cause vomiting than panic attacks. Everyone has feelings of stress, or even intense anxiety, from time to time. However, for most people, this anxiety is triggered by an event or situation, such as taking a big test or making a significant decision. This anxiety usually disappears when the situation is resolved. People with anxiety disorders have a sense of anxiety more frequently and more consistently than others. People with panic disorder experience frequent, severe panic attacks.  A panic attack usually reaches its height within 10 minutes, although some symptoms may last longer. Feelings of more generalized stress or anxiety may last longer but feel less intense. A panic attack does not require a specific trigger. It may seem to come out of nowhere.
Check for physical symptoms. Look for feelings of dread or fear. Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of a heart attack. Distinguish between normal anxiety and a panic disorder.