Heart palpitations
Heart palpitations are irregular, hard or rapid heartbeats. This is not considered normal behavior for the heart. This problem is fairly common, and most of the time is harmless, if alarming. Sometimes, however, palpitations can be a sign of serious heart problems.
Symptoms
While some palpitations have no other symptoms than heartbeat irregularities, others may also be accompanied by dizziness, anxiety, shortness of breath and chest pain. It appears that the most common time for heart palpitations to be noticed is when the person is in bed, when they are relaxed and the heart can be felt to either beat irregularly, miss a beat, or add an extra beat. This could have been occurring throughout the day, but normal day to day activity masks the sensation.
Causes
Heart palpitations can be caused by anxiety, arrhythmia, too much caffeine, some medications, drug use, emotional stress, panic, vigorous exercise, overeating and somatization. They can also be triggered by deficiency in the adrenal and nervous systems.
Cautions
palpitations may be a sign of a serious arrhythmia that could be fatal if left untreated. If they feel like a very fast series of heartbeats, last for longer than two or three minutes and are unrelated to strenuous activity, fright or anger, see a medical professional as soon as possible. Seek immediate treatment if palpitations are accompanied by chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath or a feeling of overall weakness.
Herbal Treatments
Internal Applications
- Ginkgo biloba this herb is a strong antioxidant. It helps relax the blood vessels and inhibits clotting by the platelets in the body. It is useful for helping arterial insufficiency and cardiac disorders.
- Yarrow this herb can relax a fast pulse rate and can control sudden thumping of the heart. Add 2 teaspoons of yarrow to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for fifteen minutes. Strain out the used herbs and drink it while warm. Take 2 to 3 cups of this tea daily.
- Lemon balm this herb can help palpitations by relaxing the cardiac muscles. Add 2 teaspoons of lemon balm tincture to a cup of lemon balm tea. Sip it slowly to calm the heart.
- Motherwort this herb strengthens the heart. Motherwort can help treat irregularities like arrhythmias and palpitations that are related to tension and anxiety. It strengthens the heart's function, especially when the heart is weak. It does stimulate the uterus, so do not use this herb if pregnant. Take as a tincture, tea or capsule according to the directions on the label.
- Black haw use the root of this herb to help calm the heart. It is an antispasmodic. Use 25 drops of tincture in a small amount of water.
- Reishi mushroom this herb is beneficial to the cardiovascular system. It can help regulate the blood flow through the coronary arteries.
- Cayenne this herb is very helpful to the circulatory system.
External Applications
- Rosemary mix rosemary oil with mint oil in equal portions in a carrier oil. Rub this on the chest several times per day to relieve pain associated with heart palpitations.
- Lavender add an infusion of lavender to the bath to relax the chest. You can also add lemon balm infusion to the water.