HOW DO ECTOPIC HEARTBEATS FEEL?

It’s the beat then the pause and then the HARD beat. Some of you know exactly what I mean. That forceful beat brings a lot of relief after that PAUSE!!

Here’s the deal.

You will agree with me that any “EXTRA” heartbeat that you can physically feel in your body or neck can upset you.

Your heartbeat is not out of rhythm, it’s just that it feels like there is an “extra” beat and most of the time it feels “hard”. Sometimes also described as a”flip” or “jolt” of the heart and you are hyper-aware of your heart.

WHAT IS AN ECTOPIC HEARTBEAT?

Ectopic means “wrong place” as stated in Ectopic Heart Beats AF Association Australia Patient Information. There is something like an ectopic pregnancy or ectopic eruption (a tooth on the wrong path -basically) So an ectopic heartbeat is a heartbeat that is too early, it’s at the wrong place of the heart rhythm cycle.

It can also be an “extra” beat from the Atria (upper chambers of the heart) or the Ventricles (lower chambers of the heart). It occurs before the normal beat. These “extra” beats can also feel like “thuds” or “forceful” beats that some people feel in their neck.

Ectopic heartbeats are very common and mostly harmless in people who have no other heart disease, but they are scary and can put some people in a panic attack( that included me for a while). Many people are totally unaware that they have an ectopic heartbeat from time to time.

According to Dr Sanjay Gupta having ectopic heartbeats is normal but feeling them is not so normal. This can be linked to people with health anxiety issues.

HOW CAN ECTOPIC HEARTBEATS BE DIAGNOSED?

It’s difficult! Why? Because…..

It’s Your story! that will help the doctor make the diagnoses, for most of the part.

Yes, sometimes it is difficult to pick up the ectopic heartbeats, and a health professional only has your story to go on. An electrocardiogram, ECG or portable monitor can confirm the diagnosis, but it depends on how regular your ectopic heartbeats are.

These exams and tests which would also include a physical exam (Medline Plus) may often not show ectopic heartbeats. If your ECG is normal and there are no symptoms your doctor may say that no other tests are needed and you are OK.

This does not mean that it’s just in your head! It just means that it cannot be picked up during the examination period. Your health professional will know what to look for if there are any other serious heart or health problems.

In many if not most of the “ectopic cases” the doctor will not prescribe any medication. He/she would probably just say that its nothing to worry about.

14 TREATMENT TIPS FOR ECTOPIC HEARTBEATS.

Simple breathing exercise.  A study showed that by slowing down patients breathing the ectopic heartbeats were reduced notably. In the study, patients were instructed to slow down their breaths from about 15 breaths per minute to about 6 breaths per minute, by taking 5 seconds to breathe in, and 5 seconds to breathe out. The number of ectopic heartbeats dropped significantly. Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains the exercise and the study in one of his  York Cardiology videos.

Reduce or stop alcohol intake. Alcohol is a stimulant and can contribute to the onset of AFIB but also ectopic heartbeats. With stimulants, you have to know how your body reacts to it. What works for me may not work for you. Too much alcohol will not only be bad for you but can put you in AFIB and increase your ectopic heartbeats.

Keep electrolytes balanced. Electrolytes help to transfer electrical signals. Your heart works on electrical impulses. Electrolytes will be boosted in your body by eating foods rich in potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. A normal western or American diet usually provides a sufficient source of sodium. A well-balanced diet should provide you with enough potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This is a big subject and I will not discuss it here.

Burping. To take the pressure off your vagus nerve due to the bloating of your stomach, you can burp/bring up gas. There are many over the counter products that will break up gas and prompt burping. This can bring immediate relief in most cases if your ectopic heartbeat vagus nerve connection is your main problem. Calming a sensitive vagus nerve will help to slow down your heart rate.

Keep hydrated. As per usual on nearly any health issue this can not be underestimated. Water is life. The heart works harder to pump blood when you are dehydrated. Dehydration can even cause heart arrhythmia issues like atrial fibrillation.

Stress Less. If you have been checked out by your doctor and he says your heart is OK, then believe him! If you are stressed your heart goes faster, and you can “feel” your heart more, then you stress more. You see the cycle? One of the most common links(similarities) between people who have ectopic heartbeats is the fact that they have health-related anxiety. Stress can be a trigger of ectopic heartbeats.

Keep your bowels moving. Constipation can lead to bloating and that will influence the vagus nerve. Taking a magnesium supplement can help with better bowel movement. If you have regular bowel movements you decrease the chance that your vagus nerve gets irritated. Using some kind of safe detox will also help. Many people have had success with this Rooibos Tea Detox.

Chew your food. You need your food broken down in your stomach, otherwise, it causes constipation and bloating. To assist with the breakdown of the food you need enzymes. When you chew your food properly it releases those enzymes in the saliva that break down food. The other spinoff, of chewing your food properly, is that you eat longer and then you do not eat that much. Your brain gets the time to report that you are full.

Change your posture. A study showed that patients had more vagal ectopic heartbeats when they were lying on their right side. People could also feel ectopic heartbeats when they were lying on their backs and left side. So be prepared to “feel” those HARD and skipped beats when you lie down. I have experienced it and it was no joke. I jolted up sometimes and in most cases, it helped. But you have to go to sleep sometime? Convincing myself that everything would be OK was difficult. Praying and believing that I was alright and saved in any case was a big reassurance. Going to bed very tired also helps, because you then do not think that much and just fall asleep.

Get more Magnesium.  About 50 to 80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. The value of magnesium for the correct functioning of your heart is immense. There is proof that increased levels of magnesium will help curb your ectopic heartbeats. In a study done at Coração Universidade de São Paulo, “Symptom improvement was achieved in 93.3% of patients” who used the magnesium pidolate for 30 days. Dr. Sanjay Gupta also made a video about “Magnesium works for Ectopic heartbeats” and this study. Your ectopic heartbeat vagus nerve palpitations may drop significantly if you get in more magnesium.

Eliminate Caffeine.  This is the only way to find out if caffeine has an influence on your ectopic heartbeat palpitations. Sorry to say but there’s caffeine in chocolate and not just coffee. If you suffer a lot from ectopics it may be a good idea to do a small test on yourself. Count your ectopics when you consume caffeine in normal everyday life. Then cut out all caffeine for 30 days and monitor your ectopic heartbeats. Try drinking Rooibos tea for a month, and see if there is a difference. This simple test will help you immensely. A simple detox will also help.

Do not overindulge. You must treat your stomach with respect! Due to the vagus nerve, there is a very strong connection between your stomach and your heart. An uncomfortable stomach can trigger ectopic heartbeats. An overfull stomach can trigger ectopic heartbeats. Stomach issues like indigestion, GERD or ulcer causes irritation that travels to the heart. This tip also relates to keeping your bowels moving, and not irritating your stomach with indigestion.

Stop smoking. I see that there is a debate about whether nicotine is a stimulant or a depressant but there is evidence that it increases heart rate and that it can have an effect on ectopic heartbeats. My father believed that smoking calmed him down and brought his heart rate down. The evidence suggests otherwise.

Document your Ectopic’s. By keeping a “food journal” you may be able to identify which foods or drinks trigger your ectopic heartbeats. This also goes for your stress levels. A journal will help you track your food and emotional state, and you may be able to link it to your Ectopic episodes.

I am no Doctor or health professional and am only speaking out of my own experience and research. Please ask your own doctor, caregiver or health professional, if you want to take any new supplement or vagus/vagal maneuver. But do ask as many questions as you can.

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