Are YOU suffering from ‘AIR hunger’? Neurologist lifts the lid on the very surprising symptom of anxiety – and reveals how you can manage it
- Chiropractor Tommy Pang is certified in functional neurology
- He shares brain exercises on TikTok, where he is best known as “Dr. TPang’
- Pang shined a light on air hunger, a feeling of not being able to get enough air
A chiropractic neurologist has shed light on a surprising symptom of anxiety and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), including how to deal with it.
Tommy Pang, a chiropractor specializing in functional neurology, has more than 200,000 followers on TikTok, where he shares brain exercises to regulate the nervous system.
The content creator, known as ‘Dr. TPang’, went viral after an opening about ‘air hunger’, a feeling that you cannot breathe in enough air.
“Air hunger is one of the worst anxiety and POTS symptoms,” he explained in the videos text on the screen.
Chiropractic neurologist Tommy Pang went viral on TikTok after shining a light on “air hunger,” a feeling of not being able to breathe in enough air
POTS is a condition that causes the heart to beat faster than normal when a person moves from sitting or lying down to standing up, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Other symptoms include shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations, fatigue and fainting.
“You try to breathe, but it feels like your breath is not enough,” Pang said of what it feels like to experience air hunger.
“You force a yawn, but you still can’t get the air to fill your lungs. It’s as if there is no oxygen in the air or as if your lungs are too weak.’
Pang’s six-second clip has been viewed 18.2 million times and received more than 7,700 comments.
Many people reported experiencing air hunger, but didn’t know there was a term to describe the sensation.
‘WAIT I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE???’ someone asked.
“I’ve been trying to explain this feeling for so long,” someone else responded. ‘Thank you for this.’
Pang’s six-second clip has been viewed 18.2 million times and received more than 7,700 comments. Many people reported experiencing air hunger, but didn’t know there was a term to describe the sensation
“This happens to me a lot,” another added. “I panic when I can’t get my lungs satisfied.”
In a sequel videoPang demonstrated a brain exercise that helps stabilize the nervous system and relieve air hunger.
He started by sitting and concentrating on a circle on the wall, but he noticed that you can look at any object as long as it is at eye level.
Pang then slowly turned his head from side to side before standing up, keeping his focus on the circle at all times.
“You will notice that your heart rate stabilizes and you feel more comfortable,” he wrote in the text on the screen.
Pang later demonstrated a brain exercise to relieve air hunger. He started by sitting down and concentrating on a circle on the wall. He slowly turned his head from side to side before standing up
‘Repeat the process. Keep your focus on the circle at all times. This trains the brain stem, which regulates your heart rate and breathing.’
The chiropractic neurologist recommended doing this twice a day, but he cautioned you to “never overdo it” and “stop if you feel dizzy.”
‘You have to try this. I just get so heavy and I feel like I’m carrying 500 pounds,” one viewer commented.
‘Thanks, I’ll have to try this. I always thought I was weird,” someone else admitted.
“Honestly, thank you for talking so much about POTS on your platform and raising awareness,” another added. ‘Honestly, I’m glad doctors are using it more often.’