Experiencing Heart Palpitation? Know Its Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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A mere blip in the heartline can become stressful. While chronic diseases are rising, there are other minor heart-related complications  that you should not ignore. One such condition – heart palpitations – is increasing among people, especially youngsters and mid-age people. 

In this article, we help you understand heart palpitations, their causes, symptoms, and remedies to ensure a healthy heart. 

What is Heart Palpitation?

Heart Palpitation refers to an unusual heartbeat or rhythm. In this health conditionmay feel like your heart is beating fast, skipping a beat, or beating excessively. Contrary to belief, heart palpitations can happen to anyone, anytime– whether at rest or in movement. Heart patients and healthy individuals can also experience heart palpitation due to certain medications or other conditions. 

This means that heart palpitations are not severe and harmful in every case. However, in some rare cases, a palpitating heart can be a reason for chronic conditions that may need medical attention. 

 Symptoms of Heart Palpitation

 Look out for these 4 signs of palpitation:

1. Fluttering Heart Beats: Heart pounding fast or skipping beats.

2. Difficulty in Breathing: Shortness of breath and wheezing.

3. Irregular Heart Rhythm: Flip-flopping of the heartbeats.

4. Discomfort in the Chest: Tightness and heaviness in the chest.

Here are some common heart palpitations symptoms:

• Skipped or extra beats: The feeling of missed or extra heartbeats that leads to a quick pause causing a stronger beat.
• Attention to the heartbeat: Feeling like your heart is racing, pounding, or fluttering in your chest.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness: Feeling faint or dizzy may sometimes accompany heart palpitations.
• Increased heart rate: A sudden increase in your usual heart rate, which you can notice during any physical activity or even while resting.
• Shortness of breath: Feeling breathless or having difficulty catching your breath while experiencing palpitations.
• Anxiety: Palpitations can sometimes trigger feelings of anxiety or panic in some individuals.
• Chest discomfort: Mild discomfort or pressure in the chest area may occur.
• Fatigue: A usual feeling of tiredness or exhaustion during or after an attack of palpitations.
• Sweating: Gushing and sweating may be experienced during heart palpitations.
• Weakness: A sense of weakness or feeling physically weak and inability to do daily chores.

5 Causes of Palpitations in the Heart

A weak heart is a red flag that signals an unhealthy lifestyle. Especially in the case of heart palpitation, most of the time, it is due to poor well-being and lifestyle choices. Here are a few heart palpitations reasons listed below:

1. Excessive Smoking and Alcohol Consumption: Avid smokers and drinkers may experience heart palpitation more frequently than non-smokers and teetotallers. 

2. Frequent Consumption of Caffeine: Beverages like tea, coffee, and sugary drinks – if consumed every day – can cause irregular heartbeats in some sensitive body types. 

3. Higher Stress and Anxiety Levels: Tension and mental stress can trigger a flip-flopping feeling in the heart while also increasing the heart rate abnormally.

4. Pregnancy, Periods, or Menopause: Given the increased amount of blood circulation and strain during pregnancy, it is common for women to feel a racing heart. Similarly, hormonal changes during menstruation and menopause can trigger heart palpitation.

5. Strenuous Exercise: Rigorous exercise and pushing your body’s physical limitations in the gym can cause people to feel a pounding heart. 

Besides, certain medications and stimulants can also be a reason behind abnormal heartbeats and palpitations. 

When to Worry About Heart Palpitations?

Although heart palpitation is harmless in most cases, you should consult a physician if the problem continues for a long time or worsens. Also, you should undergo tests if you experience discomfort in the chest and severe breathing difficulty.

>> Also Read: The Signs of Heart Attack and How to Manage it?

How to Stop Heart Palpitations?

Do you know how to increase pulse rate with home remedies?

Given the lifestyle causes behind heart palpitation, it is possible to prevent abnormal heart beating by improving your way of life. Below are the ways to stop heart palpitation and treatment for palpitations:

1. Quit Smoking and Drug Abuse

Eliminating your tobacco and drug intake will not only help you in managing regular heartbeats but also improves your overall health. Studies prove that the life expectancy of smokers is almost 10 years shorter than that of non-smokers. So, if you wish to live a long life with a healthy heart, cutting back on tobacco is a good start. 

2. Cut Down on Alcohol and Caffeine

Metering your alcohol and caffeine intake and lowering it eventually makes your heart healthier in the long run. As advised by experts, an adult of legal drinking age should consume no more than one alcoholic drink of 15-30 ml per day. Moderate consumption of alcohol not only lowers the risk of heart disease but also improves good cholesterol levels in some cases. 

3. Avoid Stressful Living Style

Stress, anxiety, and mental disturbance may cause your heartbeat to feel fluttering, pounding, or beating irregularly. Usually, heart palpitations due to anxiety are not as harmful, given that heartbeats become regular once the person stabilises. The best way to cope with clinical anxiety is to avoid stressful conditions and seek psychotherapy and medicinal treatment.

4. Try Breathing Exercises and Yoga

Getting into a physically active routine is always beneficial to the body. Studies suggest that exercising at least 150 minutes weekly  can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases. However, if you are a heart patient experiencing heart palpitation, you should consult your cardiologist before practising strenuous exercises.

Besides, you should try simple breathing exercises like deep breathing and pranayam to control your heartbeat instantly. 

5. Say No to Processed and High Cholesterol Foods

The more balanced diet you consume, the healthier your heart becomes. If you experience heart palpitations, you should consume a diet loaded with fresh fruits, fibrous vegetables, and lean proteins. On the other hand, high-carbohydrate foods such as bread, milk, soft drinks, and other energy drinks are food to avoid if you have heart palpitations.

It is important to know the exact factor that causes health palpitations in order to treat the issue. Someone already with a health history needed to be extra careful. In some extreme cases, surgery or a device may require to control the condition. Heart palpitations can be diagnosed through the following test:

• Urine Test
• Blood Test
• Stress Test
• ECG
• Echocardiogram
• Cardiac catheterization
• Electrophysiology study
• Holter monitor to record heart’s activity

Diagnosing Heart Palpitation Early with Care Heart Mediclaim Policy

However harmless, frequent heart palpitations are a matter of concern that you must diagnose in time. Also, heart conditions like this may cause further complications that may require immediate medical attention including hospitalisation. So, early diagnosis can avoid such a condition to arise. At Care Insurance, we offer a dedicated Heart Mediclaim Insurance Policy covering people against critical heart-related diseases and conditions. The health insurance policy offers coverage for pre and post-hospitalisation expenses, ambulance cover, in-patience care, day-care treatments, no-claim bonus, dialysis cover, global coverage, and more.  The best part– the plan offers free annual health check-ups, including essential body diagnostics like CBC, urine routine, KFT, LFT, etc. 

So, keep your heart young and healthy to enjoy life stress-free with Care Health Insurance.

Disclaimer: The above information is for reference only. Kindly consult your physician for a detailed diagnosis. Also, verify the policy benefits with the official prospectus.