What Are Heart Palpitations?
Palpitations make you feel like your heart is beating too hard or too fast, skipping a beat, or fluttering. You may notice heart palpitations in your chest, throat, or neck.
They can be bothersome or frightening, but heart palpitations usually aren’t serious or harmful, though, and often go away on their own. 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.
If you notice heart palpitations, you should see your doctor. After your doctor takes note of your medical history and do a physical exam (including listening to your lungs and heart), they may order tests to find the cause. If they find one, the right treatment can reduce or get rid of the palpitations.
If there’s no underlying cause, lifestyle changes can help, including stress management.
What Do Heart Palpitations Feel Like?
If you have heart palpitations, it may feel like your heart is:
- Racing
- Skipping a beat
- Flip-flopping
- Pounding in your chest and even your neck
Sometimes, you may feel dizzy or even faint. This may be a sign of a more serious condition.
What Causes Heart Palpitations?
There can be many. Usually, palpitations are either related to your heart or the cause is unknown. Non-heart-related causes include:
- Strong emotions like anxiety, fear, or stress. They often happen during panic attacks.
- Vigorous physical activity
- Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or illegal drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines
- Medical conditions, including thyroid disease, a low blood sugar level, anemia, low blood pressure, fever, and dehydration
- Hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy, or just before menopause. Sometimes, palpitations during pregnancy are signs of anemia.
- Medications, including diet pills, decongestants, asthma inhalers, and some drugs used to prevent arrhythmias (a serious heart rhythm problem) or treat an underactive thyroid
- Some herbal and nutritional supplements
- Abnormal electrolyte levels
Heart palpitations after eating
Some people have palpitations after heavy meals rich in carbohydrates, sugar, or fat. Sometimes, eating foods with a lot of monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates, or sodium can bring them on, too.
If you have heart palpitations after eating certain foods, it could be due to food sensitivity. Keeping a food diary can help you figure out which foods to avoid.
Heart palpitations at night
If you have heart palpitations at night, you may have them during the day, too. You’re just too busy to notice them. If you drink alcohol before bed or eat a big meal, that could contribute to them, too. Take some deep breaths and drink a glass of water — dehydration can make palpitations worse.
Heart palpitations and anxiety
Anxiety sets off your body’s fight or flight response. This increases your heart rate. They usually go away after a few minutes. If you notice them, you can try some deep breathing. If you get them frequently, talk to your doctor about counseling and possibly anti-anxiety medications.
What causes heart palpitations when lying down?
You may notice heart palpitations when you lie down, especially if you sleep on your side. This position increases pressure on your body, which causes palpitations. Switching to your back may help.
When to Worry About Heart Palpitations
In rare cases, palpitations can be a sign of a more serious heart condition. If you have heart palpitations, see your doctor. Get immediate medical attention if they come with:
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Back, neck, jaw, or stomach pain
- Sweating
- Nausea
All of these could signal a heart attack.
Treatment for Heart Palpitations
This depends on their cause. Often, palpitations are harmless and go away on their own. In that case, no treatment is needed.
If your doctor doesn’t find a cause, they may advise you to avoid the things that might trigger the palpitations. Strategies may include:
Ease anxiety and stress. Leave a stressful situation and try to be calm. Anxiety, stress, fear, or panic can cause palpitations. Other common ways to stay calm include:
- Relaxation exercises
- Yoga
- Tai chi
- Biofeedback
- Guided imagery
- Aromatherapy
Cut out certain foods, beverages, and other substances. These may include:
- Alcohol
- Nicotine
- Caffeine
- Illegal drugs
Credit: webmd
