Feeling your heart “twitching” can be concerning, but this sensation, known as heart palpitations, is a common awareness of your heartbeat. While it can feel alarming, it frequently does not indicate a serious underlying condition.
Understanding the Sensation
Heart palpitations manifest as a sensation that your heart is pounding, racing, fluttering rapidly, or even skipping or adding beats. You might feel these unusual rhythms in your chest, throat, or neck. The experience can be brief, lasting seconds, or extend for minutes or longer.
These sensations often stem from extra heartbeats, known as ectopic beats. Premature atrial contractions (PACs) or premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are common types of these extra beats that occur just before the heart’s main contraction. While the heart normally beats between 60 to 100 times per minute, palpitations can make you feel a rapid or irregular rhythm, even at rest.
Common Non-Serious Causes
Many factors can trigger heart palpitations that are not serious and often resolve on their own. Stress and anxiety are frequent culprits, as strong emotional responses can heighten awareness of your heartbeat. Panic attacks are commonly associated with these sensations. Managing stress through relaxation techniques can help reduce their occurrence.
Lifestyle choices also play a role. Consuming stimulants like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can induce palpitations. Certain over-the-counter medications, such as cold and cough remedies containing pseudoephedrine or some asthma inhalers, may also contribute. Reducing or avoiding these substances often improves symptoms.
Other common causes include dehydration, which affects electrolyte balance. Electrolytes like potassium and magnesium are essential for heart function, and imbalances can lead to irregular rhythms. Lack of sleep and strenuous exercise can also temporarily increase heart awareness. Hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause are another frequent cause due to fluctuating levels. Additionally, mild indigestion or acid reflux can sometimes be mistaken for heart-related issues, as they can cause discomfort that radiates to the chest.
When to Seek Medical Attention
While most heart palpitations are harmless, certain accompanying symptoms warrant prompt medical evaluation. Seek immediate medical attention if palpitations occur alongside chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, or lightheadedness. Fainting or near-fainting spells are also serious indicators requiring urgent care. These symptoms could suggest a more serious underlying cardiac condition.
Consult a healthcare provider if your palpitations are frequent, prolonged, or worsening. If you have a history of heart disease, such as an abnormal heart valve, or significant risk factors, any new or changing palpitations should be discussed. Palpitations that consistently occur during physical exertion, rather than just after, also warrant medical assessment. A resting pulse rate consistently above 100 beats per minute, without an obvious cause like exercise or fever, is another reason to seek professional advice.
Diagnostic Approaches and Management
When consulting a healthcare provider for heart palpitations, the diagnostic process begins with a thorough medical history and physical examination. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, diet, lifestyle, and any medications or supplements. They will listen to your heart and lungs and may check for signs of conditions that can cause palpitations, such as a swollen thyroid gland.
To further investigate, several diagnostic tests may be ordered. An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) measures the electrical activity of your heart and can detect if it is beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly. If palpitations are intermittent, a Holter monitor, a portable ECG device worn for 24 hours or longer, might record your heart’s activity during daily routines. For less frequent episodes, an event recorder, activated when symptoms occur, can be worn for a longer period. Blood tests may also check for electrolyte imbalances, thyroid issues, or anemia, which can all contribute to palpitations.
Management often involves lifestyle adjustments, such as reducing caffeine intake, managing stress through relaxation techniques, ensuring adequate hydration, and getting enough sleep. In some cases, if an underlying medical condition is identified, specific treatments or medications may be prescribed by your doctor.