If you suffer from panic attacks or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), AHN behavioral health specialists may be able to help you with Freespira, a medication-free medical device that reduces or eliminates panic attacks associated with panic disorder, PTSD, and other anxiety disorders*.
Panic disorders can bring on chest pain, a rapid heart beat, shortness of breath, dizziness, or stomach pains, and severely limit your work, family relationships, and social life. For some people with panic disorders, psychotherapy and medications do not bring relief or have negative side effects.
Panic disorders and PTSD are both associated with chronic hyperventilation, sighing, and breath-holding, as well as extreme sensitivity to carbon dioxide (CO2). Freespira precisely targets these symptoms to improve your quality of life.
Freespira is a breakthrough treatment that uses breathing synchronization to normalize CO2 and respiratory rates in a single 28-day treatment course, reducing your symptoms and the need for emergency medical care.
If your physician thinks you are a good candidate for Freespira, you’ll meet with an AHN psychologist or therapist. We will show you how to use the sensor, a nasal sampling cannula, and a digital tablet to measure respiration rate and exhaled CO2 levels. Regulating these levels has been shown to eliminate or reduce panic and PTSD symptoms.
During twice-daily, 17-minute sessions, you’ll learn how to inhale and exhale in sync with rising and falling audio tones, changing your breathing to keep exhaled CO2 in a normal zone. As you continue to use Freespira at home, we provide weekly coaching for support and guidance. The system is portable and can be used anywhere.
In clinical studies, patients with panic disorders used Freespira therapy and experienced fewer and milder panic symptoms, compared to patients that used only psychotherapy. Over 60% of patients in the studies were free of panic attacks one year later.*
Because Freespira doesn’t involve medication, there are no side effects. It is painless, noninvasive, and safe.
Though insurance plans cover mental health treatments differently, Freespira is often covered by insurance companies because it is inexpensive and lowers overall health care costs. Check with your insurance company to understand how your treatment will be covered.
If you or a loved one needs help, call us at (412) 330-4429, Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, or weekends from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. If someone is in immediate danger, call The Hope Line: 1-800-SUICIDE, (412) 960-8673.
Freespira is a trademark of Palo Alto Health Sciences.
Freespira is indicated (FDA-cleared) as an adjunctive treatment of symptoms associated with panic disorder, panic attacks, and/or PTSD in patients 18 and older. In younger patients, Freespira has been evaluated and is being made available as permitted by the FDA’s COVID-19 Enforcement Discretion Guidance.
Meuret, A. E., Wilhelm, F. H., Ritz, T., & Roth, W. T. (2008). Feedback of end-tidal pCO2 as a therapeutic approach for panic disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 42(7), 560–568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2007.06.005
