Symptoms of palpitations
introduction
The stumbling of the heart as a symptom is also known in common parlance as cardiac dropouts or palpitations, and is referred to in medical jargon as a form of cardiac arrhythmia. More precisely, there are additional beats of the heart outside of its actual rhythm, also known as extrasystole, which can then cause unpleasant symptoms. There are several signs of palpitations, which are detailed on this page.
Symptoms
A palpitations don't always have to be physical. In this respect, many do not notice any symptoms. However, if symptoms do occur, they can vary widely depending on the circumstances. The most common can be found here as an overview:
- Sudden change in heart rhythm
- Shortness of breath and dizziness
- Mental symptoms
- Vegetative or neurological symptoms
- Cough or sore throat
- Stomach discomfort
Change in heart rhythm
Initially, there may be symptoms that come directly from the heart. These include a heartbeat that is too fast or too slow, the dropping out of a heartbeat or a pounding of the heart against the chest. If this occurs infrequently, in isolation and without further symptoms, it can be described as harmless and normal.
However, if there are long-lasting symptoms, frequent occurrences and other, more heart-specific symptoms such as a feeling of trepidation in the chest area, shortness of breath and dizziness, a doctor should be consulted for medical clarification in order to rule out an underlying organic disease.
Shortness of breath or dizziness
If there are persistent symptoms, frequent occurrences and other, more heart-specific symptoms such as trepidation in the chest area, shortness of breath and dizziness, a doctor should be consulted for medical clarification in order to rule out an underlying organic disease.
Mental symptoms
In addition, many people experience psychological symptoms such as anxiety and panic, especially when their heart rhythm changes noticeably. In this case, relaxation exercises such as autogenic training would help, since many cases of heart palpitations occur in people with a nervous basic attitude and the symptoms could thus persist in a feedback mechanism.
Vegetative or neurological symptoms
Usually the autonomic nervous system is also stimulated, causing symptoms such as sweating, nausea and the urge to urinate. This is partly psychosomatic, which means that psychological triggers such as stress and fear can result in physical symptoms.
It is important to know that the heart does a huge job and that isolated, instantaneous arrhythmias are usually harmless.
Since the psyche has a strong modulating influence on the autonomic i.e. via the nervous system and thus also via the so-called vegetative nervous system. Has a fundamentally independent heart in his work, stress, restlessness and fear are heart-damaging.
Peace and inner balance have the same effect in the same way. Therefore, in many cases of symptomatic cardiac stumbling, the symptoms disappear when relaxed.
Read more on the topic: Palpitations - is it dangerous?
Cough and sore throat
The stumbling of the heart can be perceived differently by those affected, depending on the severity and type of the arrhythmia and the individual sensitivity. Stumbling of the heart, i.e. the irregular heartbeat and the brief interruptions in the heartbeat, can sometimes be clearly felt, as if the heartbeat were felt up into the neck, the carotid artery or the head. This feeling of pulsation in the throat can, under certain circumstances, trigger an urge to cough, so that cardiac stumbling can now and then also be accompanied by a reflex cough.
Patients who suffer from heart palpitations often report different symptoms.
Exactly which symptoms occur in a heart stumble depends primarily on the frequency and the exact form of the heart stumble. Especially with a pronounced irregularity of the heart's action, the symptoms can under certain circumstances radiate into the throat. Patients in whom a disturbance of the regular heartbeat can be detected without an increase in frequency describe the characteristic pause between the extra beat and the next normal heartbeat as extremely frightening. It is not the actual extra beat, but rather the next normal heartbeat that is often felt like a bang or a strong throat throb.
This form of heart stumbling, in which the symptoms are often felt in the throat, is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia. For healthy people, the throbbing symptoms in the throat are completely harmless.
Medical treatment is usually not necessary. If, however, pain suddenly occurs in the throat, a doctor must be consulted immediately. This also applies to sudden, severe pain in the chest that extends to the left shoulder. The affected person may have had a heart attack.
This clinical picture is life-threatening and requires urgent medical clarification.
Read more about this under: Symptoms accompanying cough
Stomach discomfort
In addition, the palpitations can also be accompanied by symptoms in the stomach area. The stumbling of the heart may initially manifest itself in the form of slight, oppressive discomfort in the stomach. Because of this, some of the affected patients initially assume they have a gastric disorder.
Furthermore, various diseases of the stomach, or rather the medical treatment measures for these diseases, can promote the development of heart palpitations.
Especially so-called proton pump inhibitors (for example Omeprazole or Pantoprazole) can lead to cardiac arrhythmias in the form of heart stumbling. Proton pump inhibitors are used to block the production of stomach acid. In this way, serious gastric illnesses, caused for example by long-term use of painkillers, can be avoided. People who are dependent on the use of proton pump inhibitors for a long period of time and who develop symptoms of palpitations should urgently inform their doctor that they are taking the medication.
In such cases, the symptoms can usually be significantly alleviated by stopping the proton pump inhibitor.
Causes of palpitations
The triggers are of various kinds.
Stimulating, psychotropic agents such as nicotine, coffee or alcohol can lead to the symptoms mentioned above in addition to their other numerous effects.
They can be medication-related. Certain thyroid medications and hormone preparations can further negatively affect the heart, which is already sensitive to arrhythmias.
In addition, potassium supplements are often recommended, since so-called hypokalaemia (the concentration of potassium in the blood is below normal) can also lead to heart stumbling or cardiac arrhythmias. Heart stumbling is also one of the potential side effects of certain medications, such as cardiac glycoside preparations, as well as some others.
In rare cases, these symptoms can also hide serious heart diseases such as coronary heart disease (the coronary arteries can no longer supply the heart with sufficient blood) or an inflammation of the heart muscle.
Also read on this topic: Causes of palpitations
Palpitations as a result of iron deficiency
A Iron deficiency can be one of the causes of heart palpitations: iron as an important mineral for the body, becomes essential for the body Formation of red blood cells second hand. If there is a lack of this mineral, it will result in one Anemia (anemia), which in turn leads to an insufficient supply of oxygen to the blood and the body, since the red blood cells are responsible for the Oxygen transport are responsible.
The reduced transport capacity of the blood for oxygen is finally compensated by a faster beating of the heart and thus by a faster circulation of the blood in the circulation, which in turn can lead to arrhythmias and noticeable heart stumbling.
How can I recognize dangerous palpitations?
Not every perceived palpitations are equally dangerous; they are often harmless extra blows that have no disease value in otherwise heart-healthy patients. Just because cardiac arrhythmias are perceived as stumbling of the heart does not mean that they are fundamentally threatening - whether and how severe a stumbling of the heart can be felt can vary greatly from person to person: for one patient, pronounced arrhythmia is not noticeable, for another patient it is easier noticeable as a very uncomfortable palpitations.
However, the palpitations are caused by other symptoms such as Dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, or sweating accompanied, the person concerned should become aware and unite doctor as it can have a dangerous effect on the cardiovascular system.
If such accompanying symptoms occur, this can be a sign that the heart is no longer able to pump enough and the rest of the body can no longer supply enough blood due to the arrhythmia or that it is no longer adequately supplied with blood.
Homeopathy for palpitations
Even if cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac stumbling, if they are in need of treatment, should be treated by conventional medicine, homeopathic measures can be used supportively. Common homeopathic remedies include Lachesis (Bushmaster snake), Aconite (Monkshood), Well tripudians (Spectacled snake) and Aurum muriaticum (Gold chloride), Digitalis purpurea (red thimble), Glonoinum (Nitroglycine) or Kalium carbonicum (Potash).
Schuessler salts, especially No. 6 (Kalium sulfuricum), No. 4 (Kalium chloratum) or No. 3 (Ferrum phosphoricum) can also be tried.
Applications such as acupuncture, foot reflexology and relaxing massages in general are also possible homeopathic therapy options.
Read more about this under: Homeopathy for heart palpitations
