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What Is The Main Cause Of Heart Palpitations

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The 4 types of heart palpitations

Palpitations can appear out of the blue and disappear just as suddenly. They can be linked with certain activities, events, or emotions. Some people notice their heart skipping a beat when they are drifting off to sleep others, when they stand up after bending over. Palpitations can be triggered by:

  • stress, anxiety, or panic
  • too much caffeine, chocolate, or alcohol
  • fever

People with certain medical conditions, such as heart disease, anemia, and an overactive thyroid gland are more likely to experience palpitations. Palpitations can be related to drugs and medications such as cocaine, amphetamines, diet pills, some cough and cold remedies, some antibiotics, thyroid hormone, digoxin, or asthma remedies.

Can Acupuncture Help Heart Palpitations

For thousands of years, acupuncture has been used to treat a variety of health conditions and diseases. In this traditional Chinese medicine practice, professional acupuncturists pierce the skin with thin needles at strategic acupressure points around the body. These acupoints are believed to lie in energy channels that flow throughout and connect different parts of the body. Any disruption in the energy flow results in pain, disease, and other abnormalities. Acupuncture aims to remove energetic blockages by stimulating various acupoints.

While acupuncture is still relatively new to Western medicine, more studies over the years have shown that it can improve your overall health. A study from UCLA showed that acupuncture treatment significantly improved heart health and stress levels in heart failure patients. In a disease like heart failure, the sympathetic nervous system is on overdrive. In this environment, the heart is forced to work harder, making these people more vulnerable to serious heart rhythms. After acupuncture treatment, they found significantly reduced sympathetic nerve activation. Although this is a promising first step, more research is still needed to substantiate these findings before acupuncture can be recommended as an official treatment for improving heart health.

When Should I See My Gp About Palpitations

You should make an appointment to see your GP if:

  • your palpitations last a long time, don’t improve or get worse
  • your palpitations cause symptoms such as sudden dizziness, feeling short of breath, fainting, chest pain or tightness
  • you have a history of heart problems
  • you’re concerned about the palpitations.

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How Are Exercise And Pvcs Related

The relationship between extra beats and exercise is a complicated one. Many patients experience PVCs or palpitations before and after exercise, but not during exercise.

When most patients start to exercise, their own heart rate rises and the PVCs or other extra beats disappear at higher heart rates. After exercise, the body’s natural adrenalin level remains high for a period of time while the heart rate begins to go down during rest. This period of time often permits the extra beats to come back, and sometimes their rate and frequency are higher than before exercise.

If the other symptoms are mild or not present, usually there is not any reason for serious concern. If other symptoms accompany the palpitations such as shortness of breath, chest discomfort, or severe lightheadedness or loss of consciousness, those symptoms with palpitations in any setting are a cause for concern and require further evaluation.

Important Acupressure Points For Heart Palpitations You Can Use In Emergency

Causes of Heart Palpitation

Have you ever felt your heart beat so fast that it felt like it couldve exploded out of your chest? Most likely, you were experiencing heart palpitations. During one of these episodes, we often are more aware of our heart beating than usual, which can induce significant anxiety for many. However, please be reassured that this is a common phenomenon and doesnt always signal a more serious underlying condition. Unless your condition worsens, there isnt any specific medical intervention for the occurrence of palpitation. To ease your nerves, you can consider treating acupressure points for heart palpitations.

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Fever Or Illness In The Body

Fevers are caused by a bacterial or viral infection within the body. Did you know that these illnesses can have a dramatic effect on the heart?

When the body is under attack, the heart will lag or feel the pressure from the disease.

Some viruses can do permanent damage to the muscle structures causing a condition known as myocarditis, which is inflammation and disease.

About Heart Arrhythmias And Palpitations

Your heart is a vital organ. Its a muscle that pumps blood to all parts of your body. The blood pumped by your heart provides your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function. Normally, this pumping is controlled by your hearts electrical system.

Sometimes, your hearts electrical system may not work properly because of cardiovascular disease, chemicals in your blood or sometimes for no known reason. Changes in your hearts electrical system can cause abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias.

Arrhythmias are a disturbed rhythm of your heartbeat. There are many kinds of arrhythmias. Some may cause your heart to skip or add a beat now and again, but have no effect on your general health or ability to lead a normal life.

Other arrhythmias are more serious, even life threatening. Untreated, they can affect your hearts pumping action, which can lead to dizzy spells, shortness of breath, faintness, loss of consciousness or serious heart problems.

Immediately call triple zero and ask for an ambulance if you feel any of these warning signs: pain or discomfort in your chest, neck, jaw, arms, back or shoulders, or if you feel nauseous, a cold sweat, dizzy or short of breath, lasting for more than 10 minutes.

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When To See A Doctor

Pay attention to when your heart beats faster. If you are in an anxiety-filled or stressful situation or exerting a lot of energy through athletics, it may not be as serious as AFib. However, if your heartbeat changes erratically without warning and you experience chest pain or difficulty breathing, dont hesitate to see a doctor. If you have a medical history that includes arrhythmia or heart disease, its even more important to seek help immediately. Doing so could save your life or at least give you peace of mind that everything is okay.

Causes Of Heart Palpitations

Heart Palpitations caused by Adrenal Fatigue

Although there are several causes for heart palpitations, certain traits, conditions or habits may raise your risk for the condition. These are known as risk factors and include:

Non-modifiable risk factors: These factors are irreversible and cannot be changed. The more of these risk factors you have, the greater your chance of developing heart palpitations:

  • Pregnancy

Modifiable risk factors: These factors can be modified, treated or controlled through medications or lifestyle changes.

  • Excessive amounts of alcohol consumption over the years.
  • Excessive amount of caffeine or other stimulants.
  • Extreme emotional stress.
  • Extreme physical exertion
  • Long history of cigarette smoking and/or drug use
  • Dehydration: when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions.
  • Certain cold and cough mediations .

Other conditions that may contribute to development of heart palpitations:

  • Thyroid disease: a condition that is caused by the over or under function of the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is an essential organ for producing thyroid hormones, which maintains the bodys metabolism.
  • Heart surgery
  • Heart arrhythmias

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How Are Palpitations Treated

The best type of treatment for you depends on what causes your palpitations. You may not need any treatment. If the palpitations are related to certain foods, you should avoid those triggers. If you have heart disease or an abnormal heart rhythm, you may need medication, a procedure, surgery or a device to correct the problem. It is important to keep all follow-up appointments with your doctor.

If your palpitations get worse or suddenly happen more often, call your doctor.

What Is A Heart Palpitation

The word palpitation is used to describe unusual sensations that occur in the chest area. The term is used interchangeably to describe a racing heartbeat, a heart that is doing flip-flops, or the feeling that the heart is skipping beats.

The body feels these irregular beats because of the abnormal cardiac contractions or premature ventricular contractions.

According to Dr. Willie Ong, PVCs are caused by many things, and you can be diagnosed with palpitations or use the word to describe the sensation, which further adds to the confusion of the matter.

Palpitations can be intermittent with no rhyme or reason to their frequency. They might happen for an entire evening and subside by morning.

Unfortunately, some people suffer regular attacks and must learn to live with these uncomfortable sensations.

Dr. Stephen Sinatra says that even the foods you eat can cause heart flutters. While most are benign, and to be expected, some are a warning sign of a significant cardiac complication.

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When To See A Gp

You do not usually need to see a GP if the palpitations pass quickly and only happen occasionally. They’re unlikely to be caused by a serious problem and probably will not need treatment.

But it’s a good idea to see a GP if:

  • the palpitations last a long time, do not improve or get worse
  • you have a history of heart problems
  • you’re concerned about the palpitations

To help find the cause, a GP may:

If you cannot have an ECG at the GP surgery or the GP wants to arrange heart monitoring over a longer time period, you may be referred for tests at a local hospital.

What Is The Heart Rate For Palpitations

Heart Disease Palpitations

If your heart rate is fast , this is called tachycardia. A heart rate slower than 60 is called bradycardia. An occasional extra heartbeat is known as extrasystole. Palpitations are not serious most of the time.

Furthermore, can you have palpitations with a normal heart rate?

One-off heart palpitations that just last a few seconds are a normal part of having a heart. If your heart palpitations come along with any symptoms like dizziness, feeling unsteady, fainting, or chest discomfort or pain, that’s a sign your heart’s functioning may be compromised.

Also Know, when should I be worried about palpitations? You should call your doctor if your heart palpitations last longer than a few seconds at a time or occur frequently.

If a person’s heart palpitations are accompanied by:

  • Loss of consciousness.
  • Nausea.

In this regard, what is the main cause of heart palpitations?

Most of the time, they’re caused by stress and anxiety, or because you’ve had too much caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol. They can also happen when you’re pregnant. In rare cases, palpitations can be a sign of a more serious heart condition. So, if you have heart palpitations, see your doctor.

How do you stop heart palpitations?

The most appropriate way to treat palpitations at home is to avoid the triggers that cause your symptoms.

  • Reduce stress. Try relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga or deep breathing.
  • Avoid stimulants.
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    When Should I Seek Immediate Medical Attention

    You should seek emergency medical attention if your heart palpitations are accompanied by:

    • chest pain
    • fainting
    • shortness of breath.

    Palpitations are unpleasant sensations of excessively strong, rapid and/or irregular heartbeats. In many people who experience palpitations, no heart disease or abnormal heart rhythms can be found and the cause of the palpitations is unknown.

    In others, palpitations may be caused by arrhythmias of different types or by other heart conditions such as leaking valves. Sometimes the underlying cause is unrelated to the heart anaemia or an overactive thyroid gland, for instance, can cause palpitations. Palpitations can occur in everyone at some time during exercise, stress, pain or fright, but a normal heartbeat should return quickly.

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    Medical Treatment For Heart Palpitations

    If self-help techniques don’t work, and palpitations are still bothersome, you may want to try some medical options. Medications called beta blockers are sometimes used to treat heart palpitations. They slow the heart rate and control the flow of “beat now” signals that regulate the heartbeat.

    Sometimes a medical procedure called an ablation is needed. It can control palpitations caused by errant electrical signals in the heart.

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    What Are Ectopic Beats

    Ectopic beats are early or extra heartbeats which can cause you to have palpitations.

    They happen when an impulse, usually released from your hearts own natural pacemaker , causes an extra or early heartbeat somewhere else along the hearts electrical system. This can lead to a short pause before or after the extra beat, giving you the sensation of a missed beat.

    Ectopic beats are usually harmless and don’t mean you have a heart condition. You usually won’t need treatment unless they happen often, or they start to bother you.

    The two most common types of ectopic beats are:

    • premature atrial contraction , where the early electrical impulse occurs in the atria .
    • premature ventricular contraction , where the early electrical impulse occurs in the ventricles .

    Chest Distress And The Esophagus

    Heart Palpitations And Headaches Can Occur Together: Main Causes

    GERD is one of the main causes of noncardiac chest pain, or NCCP, which can mimic a heart attack and is related to the sensation of palpitations. The same set of nerves supplies the heart and the esophagus, and so its hard to know which is the source of the discomfort. Simply put, if you think somethings wrong with your heart, the anxiety this causes might bring on palpitations. However, it is important to note that palpitations are one of many potential symptoms of an actual heart attack. NCCP may be described as a squeezing or burning pain below the sternum, which may radiate to the back, neck, arms and jaws. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to know your risk factors for heart disease and take symptoms such as chest pain or pressure and palpitations seriously.

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    Signs And Symptoms Of Heart Palpitation

    Younger children may not be able to describe exactly what they are feeling when this happens, although sometimes they will say that their heart is “beeping” fast.

    If your child experiences any of the following along with heart palpitations, you should make an appointment with your primary care pediatrician right away.

    • Fainting
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Chest pain

    Sometimes Comfort And Reassurance Are The Best Medicine

    While palpitations can sometimes signal a more serious condition, theyre often just a sensation of a normal heartbeat, says Marine. Confirming that nothing is seriously wrong is sometimes all a person needs. Relaxation techniques and reassurance from a physician I find that both are very helpful when the cause of palpitations is benign.

    Johns Hopkins Women’s Cardiovascular Health Center

    The Johns Hopkins Womens Cardiovascular Health Center provides education, comprehensive treatment and diagnostic services to prevent and manage heart disease in women.

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    The Causes Of Heart Palpitations Can Be Usually Classified Into Six Major Categories:

    1. An overactive thyroid i.e. hyperthyroidism: It is a condition where your thyroid gland starts producing surplus thyroid hormone, which speeds up the bodys metabolism and causing an irregular or rapid heartbeat, irritability or nervousness.

    2. Sympathetic nervous system over activation: A number of factors may lead to the stimulation of the sympathetic system with resultant onset of palpitations. These factors include hypoglycemia, panic disorders mitral valve prolapsed and thypoxia.

    3. A cardiac dysrhythmia: This is a condition of irregular heartbeat which can cause heart palpitations. A number of dysrhythmias responsible for cardiac arrhythmias include supraventricular tachycardia, premature atrial contractions , ventricular fibrillation, atrial fibrillation , ventricular tachycardia and premature ventricular contractions .

    4. Hyperdynamic circulation or high circulatory volume. Hyperdynamic circulation is another factor that causes heart palpitations. The increase in circulatory volume may occur due to a number of reasons but the main etiologies are

    · Pregnancy

    · Anemia

    · Strenuous Exercise

    5. A deficiency of electrolyte, disorder or imbalance: There are several important electrolytes that function to maintain the normal body functioning. If any of these electrolytes get disturb with respect to their level, then functions of the body are affected as well as the heart which go off rhythm .

    · Anxiety and Stress, which raises the levels of cortisol in the body

    Evaluation Of Patients With Palpitations

    Heart Disease Palpitations

    Because palpitations may occasionally reflect severe underlying heart disease, an evaluation by a doctor is usually recommended.

    However, because most people with palpitations have a good prognosis, intensive, expensive testing is usually not necessary.

    In one study of people with palpitations, the 1-year mortality rate was 1.6%, and those who died were all over age 70 and none of the deaths was believed to be related to the origin of the palpitations

    The most important thing when addressing patients with palpitations is to exclude underlying heart disease.

    All patients should be evaluated by detailed history, physical examination,and an electrocardiogram .

    History and Physical Examination

    The characteristics of the palpitations are essential.

    Does the patient describe fast beats, skipped beats, or flip-flopping? Is the rhythm regular or irregular? Are there any associated symptoms such as dizziness, fainting or shortness of breath, or chest pain? Are palpitations present at rest, during exercise, or both? Are palpitations present when the patient lies on his left side?

    The flip-flopping sensation is usually caused by atrial or ventricular premature beats and is therefore usually benign. This type of palpitations is often experienced while the patient is lying in bed.

    Palpitations are often more easily felt when lying on the left side.

    Palpitations associated with fainting may suggest more serious arrhythmias such as ventricular tachycardia.

    Electrocardiogram

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    When Should I Worry About My Heart Palpitations

    In most cases, heart palpitations are normal and should be nothing to be concerned about. Most people have abnormal beats and dont feel these abnormalities.

    At night, its common to notice such sensations because its quiet and youre in-tune with your body in the silence.

    Even the healthiest person can have a few missed beats here or there. If you have never experienced these sensations before, its always best to have a medical doctor evaluate them the first time. Most physicians ask their patients to wear a Holter monitor.

    A Halter monitor will record the hearts activity to make sure something significant isnt occurring. These little devices are worn for up to twenty-four hours or longer, depending on your needs.

    The rule of thumb is if you have more than three palpitations in a row, or skipped beats, you should head to the emergency room.

    While most of the time these events are benign, it can be an indication of cardiac arrest or another event.

    If you are having palpitations that are associated with dizziness, neck or back pain, shortness of breath, or any numbness in the extremities, then you need to seek medical help as soon as possible. Sweating or headaches associated with these events are a cause for alarm.

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