How to help prevent tetany during Breathwork AKA Lobster claw hands

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Why do I get lobster claws when I do breathwork?
Jon Paul Crimi, Tanya GK Bentley, PhD

During active breathwork practices, some people experience cramping and tightness in the
hands or around the mouth. Known as tetany and described by many as “lobster claw” hands,
this phenomenon can occur in different types of breathwork such as holotropic, rebirthing,
transformational, Wim Hof Method (WHM), and others.
Many breathwork teachers explain tetany as caused by holding onto unconscious, “stuck”
energy or the need for control. Solutions involve spiritual self-exploration such as asking what
we’re holding onto or exploring our fears.
Since these explanations never satisfied us, we did some investigating and discovered scientific
answers that – in our opinions – make more sense.
Simply said, tetany is the involuntary contraction of muscles that occurs when CO2 decreases
significantly in the body. This can happen during breathwork when we breathe really fast or
exhale too forcefully or too much – so the rate or volume of breathing eliminates more CO2
than the body can produce.
1 Tetany is more likely in people with underlying mineral
imbalances, including:
• Low magnesium2,3,4,5 – more likely during pregnancy6 or lactation, use of diuretics, or
high alcohol consumption4
• Low potassium12,7
1 Booth DI. The effect of breathing techniques on the end-tidal percentage of
carbon dioxide and its importance during labour. Aust J Physiother. 1967
Sep;13(3):110-2. 2 Vallee BL, Wacker WE, Ulmer DD. The magnesium-deficiency tetany syndrome in
man. N Engl J Med. 1960 Jan 28;262:155-61. 3 Zimmet P. Role of magnesium in tetany. N Engl J Med. 1968 Jul
11;279(2):109-10. 4 Williams A, Liddle D, Abraham V. Tetany: A diagnostic dilemma. Journal of Anaesthesiology, Clinical
Pharmacology. 2011;27(3):393-394. 5 Fehlinger R, Seidel K. The hyperventilation syndrome: a neurosis or a
manifestation of magnesium imbalance? Magnesium. 1985;4(2-3):129-36. 6 Some forms of breathwork are contra-indicated during pregnancy; it is recommended that pregnant women talk
to their physicians and breathwork teachers before doing breathwork.
7 Moon HS, Lee SK, Chung JH, In CB. Hypocalcemia and hypokalemia due to hyperventilation syndrome in spinal
anesthesia -A case report-. Korean Journal of Anesthesiology. 2011;61(6):519-523.
• Parathyroid hormone (PTH) deficiency8,9
• Excess phosphate10
• Low calcium
• Electrolyte deficiencies due to long-term inhaler use (i.e., for asthma or COPD) 12
How can you avoid this or help those you teach to avoid it?
• During breathwork: slow down the breathing, reduce the forcefulness or duration of
exhales (just lightly “let go” of breath), move/massage hands or other body parts
experiencing tetany
• Outside of breathwork:
o consider whether any of above mineral imbalances may be applicable
o get checked for these imbalances if high-risk (e.g., pregnant or lactating, on
diuretics, high alcohol intake, long-term inhaler use)
**For the science geeks like Tanya who need a little more detail:
Low CO2 causes tetany because it reduces cellular calcium and increases blood PH.
9,11 Sodium
leaks into nerve cells and makes them hyper-excitable, resulting in tingling and – when more
extreme – muscle spasms in the extremities and around the mouth.
12,4
Thanks for reading about tetany and breathwork!
8 Hans SK, Levine SN. Hypoparathyroidism. [Updated 2017 Oct 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL):
2018.
9 Edmondson JW, Brashear RE, Li TK. Tetany: quantitative interrelationships between calcium and alkalosis. Am J
Physiol. 1975 Apr;228(4):1082-6. 10 Kassirer JP. Editorial: Hyperphosphatemia, hyperparathyroidism and bighead. N Engl J Med. 1973 Dec
20;289(25):1367-8. 11 Macefield G, Burke D. Paraesthesiae and tetany induced by voluntary hyperventilation. Increased excitability of
human cutaneous and motor axons. Brain. 1991 Feb;114 ( Pt 1B):527-40. 12 Parasa M, Saheb SM, Vemuri NN. Cramps and tingling: A diagnostic conundrum. Anesth Essays Res. 2014 MayAug;8(2):247-9.

[jonpaulcrimi]

Try one of my Transformational Circular Breathwork classes and leave filled with gratitude and love

[ASHIbodywork]

Thank you for this!! This happened to me the first few times I did this type of breathing, but in my legs! I was freaking out and could not get out of my head but also did not feel like I was warned it could happen. This is great information.

[theblondevagabond]

This was sooo helpful, I was HORRIFIED when it happened to me tonight, it moved up the underside of my arm in a full cramp.. good to know about the exhale and CO2! Thank you!

[whenifeeldown]

Omg thank you so much for explaining this!! I just did my first breathwork session last week and have been struggling to process what happened. The instructor said my hands would do that but I wasn’t expecting the pain!! It was some of the worst pain I ever felt and I couldn’t get it to stop. You made me realize two things. One, I have a lot of nutrient/mineral deficiencies and two I was breathing like you said not to in the video. I knew I had the deficiencies before doing this but I didn’t know that would make the cramping worse. This was so helpful thank you 🙏🏻

[jcamp]

This just happened to me for the first time today after doing the Wim Hof method and I could not move my hands at all!. Been doing it for a couple weeks now and loving it. Thanks for the vid!🙏

[madzutis]

Thank you, this is really useful! Was cramping like crazy in my first session and in hindsight realised I was more focused on exhaling than inhaling.

[JustRonDon]

Wow. This has been happening to me for a while now and I'm very grateful that there is content like this available. I will try out this technique to see if it helps. Thank you!

[jessetimmmiller]

Fucking life-savers, you two!! Freaked out two days ago when this happened on my third day of Wim Hof breathing. A tad scary!! :D Thanks so much!!

[louiseakkermans]

You guys are the best! I don't know if you've noticed, but you both are hilariously funny (in a good way) - also great content information wise, lots of other theories about this and yours seems legit... Please make more videos me and my friend are dying of laughter 🙏🏻

[ashleyamesss]

THANK YOU!! I’m doing my first long guided breathwork tomorrow and was feeling suuuper scared about the tetany. I felt exactly the same where I wasn’t feeling satisfied with the reasons I was hearing. ❤️

[D_Syno]

I see videos of the entire person doubled-over in a tetany cramp. They make it seem like part of the spiritual experience. Absolutely ridiculous that it's actually a CO2 issue.

[WallyBrownRenoNV]

Thank you for this! I have been doing the WHM for a few weeks and have had this happen a few times. Oddly it didn't really freak me out, but I still wanted to know what it was...and now I know. Awesome!

[annamariposa]

thank you!!!
i just finished my first session and was clamping, so now i will mineral up and will check my exhale tomorrow!!

[TheMadvillan]

This happened to me really intensely today after 3 rounds of 40 breaths, it felt like i was INSANELY charged with electricity, tingling insane feeling, but the lobster claws i was like wtf..!

Thanks so much for this video. I was def going to hard. lol Peace!

[dsmithprogrammer]

This happened to me last night! So freaky. I was able to stand up and walk around while my hands felt like clenched balls of energy lol. Thanks for the info.

[louisacrancran]

ugh, I wish I'd known this before! just had it so bad I freaked out and took myself out of the session. I couldn't move my hands for what felt like 5 minutes

[goldy]

Love both of your energy., so vibrant & positive..I’ve been practicing WHM for about 1 year and this happened to me for the first time about 2 weeks ago.Thought maybe I forced retention to long and was about to black out., but now I realise it was probably tetany..Weirdly I sort of enjoyed it 🤷‍♂️...but since then I’ve slowed down my breath work ., and it hasn’t a happened again., Now watching your post it all makes sense and I will take your advice on board., guess what I’m trying to say is ...thank you 🙏 ...

[GoatMoney]

First few times I did breathwork, I had tetany severely. My fingers coiled in and my hands pointed at one another. But is it weird to say that I liked it? It felt good, in all honesty. Those were some of my most intense and enjoyable sessions. Since fine-tuning my breathwork and learning more, I haven't experienced tetany. I'll take that as a good sign.

[FoodTechLife]

lol lobster claw hands that was funny - so yeah this happened to me. Thanks for the info!

[Heldan]

Happen to me as well. Got told by the therapist that it was stuck emotions : Anger...