Irregular Heartbeat: What You Need to Know + How to Naturally Treat
An irregular heartbeat can mean that the heart beats too fast, too slow or with an irregular rhythm. Premature or extra beats are the most common type of arrhythmia. This usually feels like a fluttering in the chest or a feeling of a skipped heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of heart arrhythmia — this occurs when the normal beating in the upper chambers of the heart is irregular, and blood doesn’t flow as well as it should from the atria (upper chambers) to the lower chambers of the heart.
When a heartbeat is too fast, this is called tachycardia. A heartbeat that’s too slow is called bradycardia. When the heart beats, an electrical signal spreads from the top of the heart to the bottom, causing it to contract and pump blood. A problem with this process, such as it being delayed or blocked as it travels down into the lower branches of the heart, can cause an irregular heartbeat. This can happen if the special nerve cells that produce the electrical signals don’t work properly.
Random moments of irregular heartbeat are typically harmless, but when arrhythmias last long enough to affect how well the heart works, more serious symptoms may develop, including:
fatigue
dizziness
lightheadedness
fainting or nearly fainting
rapid heartbeat or pounding
anxiety
shortness of breath
sweating
chest pain
collapse and cardiac arrest (in extreme cases)
During an arrhythmia, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body, which can damage the brain, heart and other organs.
1. Vagal Maneuvers
Vagal maneuvers are used to slow down a rapid heartbeat by stimulating the receptors in the internal carotid arteries. This stimulation causes a reflex stimulation of the vagus nerve, which results in the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that can slow down the electrical impulses that lead to a rapid heartbeat. The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve, extending from the brainstem to the abdomen. The vagus forms part of the involuntary nervous system, and it commands unconscious body procedures, such as keeping the heart rate constant. Studies show that vagal maneuvers are simple, non-invasive methods of stopping irregular heartbeat by stimulating the vagus nerve.
Vagal maneuvers are natural treatments that can be done before turning to medications or other more invasive procedures. There are different types of maneuvers that you can try, and remember that not one maneuver works for everyone.
Coughing: A forceful and sustained cough can stimulate the vagus nerve. One cough alone will not be effective.
Bearing Down: Bear down as if you are having a bowel movement to stimulate the vagus nerve and correct an irregular heartbeat. You can also try blowing through a straw.
Blowing through a Syringe: This is called valsalva maneuver, and it involves blowing into a syringe while lying down, face up, for 15 seconds. This generates increased pressure within the chest cavity and triggers a slowing of the heart rate that may stop the abnormal rhythm.
Cold Stimulus to the Face: Emerge the face in cold water or place an ice pack on the face for about 10 seconds. This creates a physiological response similar to what happens when you jump into cold water.
Gagging: Gagging stimulates the vagus nerve. Use a tongue depressor and quickly insert it into the mouth, touching the back of the throat.
Carotid Massage: Carotid arteries are the major blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain, neck and face. A carotid massage is done by applying pressure underneath the angle of the jaw in a gentle, circular motion for about 10 seconds. This technique is not recommended for patients with a history of smoking or those who have carotid artery stenosis, which is a narrowing of the carotid arteries.
2. Eat a Healthy Diet
Because many people with irregular heartbeats have underlying health issues like heart disease, it’s important that they stick to healthy diets. Eating anti-inflammatory foods is important because they contain antioxidants and phytonutrients that lower the immune system’s overactive response. Healthy fats and animal proteins help to balance cholesterol levels and raise HDL cholesterol. To improve the health of your heart, eat the following foods:
fiber-rich, high-antioxidant foods
vegetables of all kinds
fruits of all kinds
herbs and spices (especially turmeric and raw garlic)
legumes and beans
healthy fats (found in nuts, seeds, avocados, wild-caught fish, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil)
raw, unpasteurized dairy
3. Engage in Physical Activity
The beneficial effects of regular physical activity on cardiovascular health are well-established and, evidence proves that the benefits of exercise include improved blood pressure, lipid profile and overall mortality. People should engage in daily physical activity in order to maintain a healthy heart. For those who already experience cardiac arrhythmia, create an exercise plan with the help of your health care provider to be sure that you aren’t overexerting yourself.
5. Maintain a Healthy Weight
A 2016 study published in the European Heart Journal found that atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, is commonly associated with being overweight and obese. Overweight populations have higher incidence, prevalence, severity and progression of atrial fibrillation compared with their normal weight counterparts. Data shows that stable weight loss decreases arrhythmia and recurrence following treatment.
6. Reduce Stress
Stress and negative emotions are important risk factors for irregular heartbeat. To reduce the risk of arrhythmia, stress management has a very important role. Research conducted at John Hopkins University School of Medicine and Division of Cardiology found that episodes of acute emotional stress can have significant adverse effects on the heart and patients must manage emotional stress as part of their treatment. Relieve stress with relaxation therapy, meditation, yoga and prayer.
7. Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat multiple medical conditions, and it’s documented to improve many aspects of cardiovascular functioning. A 2008 review conducted at the University of Minnesota indicates that of the eight studies reviewed, 87 percent to 100 percent of participants using acupuncture converted to normal heart rhythm. Researchers determined that acupuncture seems to be effective in treating several cardiac arrhythmias.
Smoking
Alcohol Use
Drug Use
Stress
Age
Conditions that damage the heart can impair the heart’s electrical system and cause irregular heartbeat. Examples of such conditions include:
heart attack
heart failure
congenital heart defects
high blood pressure
infections that damage the heart muscle or the sac around the heart
diabetes (which increases the risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease)
sleep apnea (which can cause stress on the heart)
An overactive or underactive thyroid gland
Conventional Treatment for Irregular Heartbeat
If you experience dizziness, chest pain or fainting due to an arrhythmia, you may need to be treated. In order to diagnose an irregular heartbeat, a doctor listens to the rate and rhythm of your heart and for a heart murmur, an extra or unusual sound during the heartbeat. Your doctor may also check for swelling in your legs and feet because this can be a sign of heart failure. The most common test used to diagnose arrhythmias is an electrocardiogram (EKG). An EKG detects and records the heart’s electrical activity. It can measure the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart.
Medications
Antiarrhythmics are used to slow down a heart that’s beating too fast or change abnormal heart rhythm to a normal, steady rhythm. Beta-blockers are used to slow down a heartbeat by reducing its workload. Calcium channel blockers are also used to reduce heart rates. These medications come with a list of side effects, including worsening arrhythmias, allergic reactions, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting. These medications only help control an irregular heartbeat instead of curing the issue, so they may have to be taken for life. To avoid this, sometimes procedures are done to permanently treat or monitor irregular heartbeats.
Procedures
Irregular heartbeat can be treated with a pacemaker, a device that’s placed under the skin of the chest or abdomen to help control an abnormal heart rhythm. When the pacemaker detects an abnormal heart rhythm, it sends an electrical pulse to make the heart beat at a normal rate again. Doctors recommend a pacemaker when the heartbeat is slower than normal. This can happen as a result of aging, damage to the heart from a heart attack or other heart conditions that affect its electrical activity.
Surgery
Surgery may be done to improve blood flow to the heart muscle. Surgery is often the choice when it’s already being done for another reason, such as repairing the heart valve. One type of surgery done on patients with life-threatening arrhythmias is called the maze surgery or procedure. Maze surgery cures a fast, irregular heartbeat by creating a maze of new electrical pathways that lets electrical impulses travel more easily through the heart. This is a serious surgery that requires a hospital stay of five to seven days or longer, including at least one to two days in the intensive care unit. Recovery takes about two months, and in that time, you may feel some pain where the chest was opened and weaker than usual.
When a heartbeat is too fast, this is called tachycardia. A heartbeat that’s too slow is called bradycardia. When the heart beats, an electrical signal spreads from the top of the heart to the bottom, causing it to contract and pump blood. A problem with this process, such as it being delayed or blocked as it travels down into the lower branches of the heart, can cause an irregular heartbeat. This can happen if the special nerve cells that produce the electrical signals don’t work properly.
Random moments of irregular heartbeat are typically harmless, but when arrhythmias last long enough to affect how well the heart works, more serious symptoms may develop, including:
fatigue
dizziness
lightheadedness
fainting or nearly fainting
rapid heartbeat or pounding
anxiety
shortness of breath
sweating
chest pain
collapse and cardiac arrest (in extreme cases)
During an arrhythmia, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body, which can damage the brain, heart and other organs.
7 Natural Treatments for Irregular Heartbeat
1. Vagal Maneuvers
Vagal maneuvers are used to slow down a rapid heartbeat by stimulating the receptors in the internal carotid arteries. This stimulation causes a reflex stimulation of the vagus nerve, which results in the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that can slow down the electrical impulses that lead to a rapid heartbeat. The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve, extending from the brainstem to the abdomen. The vagus forms part of the involuntary nervous system, and it commands unconscious body procedures, such as keeping the heart rate constant. Studies show that vagal maneuvers are simple, non-invasive methods of stopping irregular heartbeat by stimulating the vagus nerve.
Vagal maneuvers are natural treatments that can be done before turning to medications or other more invasive procedures. There are different types of maneuvers that you can try, and remember that not one maneuver works for everyone.
Coughing: A forceful and sustained cough can stimulate the vagus nerve. One cough alone will not be effective.
Bearing Down: Bear down as if you are having a bowel movement to stimulate the vagus nerve and correct an irregular heartbeat. You can also try blowing through a straw.
Blowing through a Syringe: This is called valsalva maneuver, and it involves blowing into a syringe while lying down, face up, for 15 seconds. This generates increased pressure within the chest cavity and triggers a slowing of the heart rate that may stop the abnormal rhythm.
Cold Stimulus to the Face: Emerge the face in cold water or place an ice pack on the face for about 10 seconds. This creates a physiological response similar to what happens when you jump into cold water.
Gagging: Gagging stimulates the vagus nerve. Use a tongue depressor and quickly insert it into the mouth, touching the back of the throat.
Carotid Massage: Carotid arteries are the major blood vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain, neck and face. A carotid massage is done by applying pressure underneath the angle of the jaw in a gentle, circular motion for about 10 seconds. This technique is not recommended for patients with a history of smoking or those who have carotid artery stenosis, which is a narrowing of the carotid arteries.
2. Eat a Healthy Diet
Because many people with irregular heartbeats have underlying health issues like heart disease, it’s important that they stick to healthy diets. Eating anti-inflammatory foods is important because they contain antioxidants and phytonutrients that lower the immune system’s overactive response. Healthy fats and animal proteins help to balance cholesterol levels and raise HDL cholesterol. To improve the health of your heart, eat the following foods:
fiber-rich, high-antioxidant foods
vegetables of all kinds
fruits of all kinds
herbs and spices (especially turmeric and raw garlic)
legumes and beans
healthy fats (found in nuts, seeds, avocados, wild-caught fish, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil)
raw, unpasteurized dairy
3. Engage in Physical Activity
The beneficial effects of regular physical activity on cardiovascular health are well-established and, evidence proves that the benefits of exercise include improved blood pressure, lipid profile and overall mortality. People should engage in daily physical activity in order to maintain a healthy heart. For those who already experience cardiac arrhythmia, create an exercise plan with the help of your health care provider to be sure that you aren’t overexerting yourself.
5. Maintain a Healthy Weight
A 2016 study published in the European Heart Journal found that atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, is commonly associated with being overweight and obese. Overweight populations have higher incidence, prevalence, severity and progression of atrial fibrillation compared with their normal weight counterparts. Data shows that stable weight loss decreases arrhythmia and recurrence following treatment.
6. Reduce Stress
Stress and negative emotions are important risk factors for irregular heartbeat. To reduce the risk of arrhythmia, stress management has a very important role. Research conducted at John Hopkins University School of Medicine and Division of Cardiology found that episodes of acute emotional stress can have significant adverse effects on the heart and patients must manage emotional stress as part of their treatment. Relieve stress with relaxation therapy, meditation, yoga and prayer.
7. Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat multiple medical conditions, and it’s documented to improve many aspects of cardiovascular functioning. A 2008 review conducted at the University of Minnesota indicates that of the eight studies reviewed, 87 percent to 100 percent of participants using acupuncture converted to normal heart rhythm. Researchers determined that acupuncture seems to be effective in treating several cardiac arrhythmias.
Irregular Heartbeat Causes and Risk Factors
Smoking
Alcohol Use
Drug Use
Stress
Age
Conditions that damage the heart can impair the heart’s electrical system and cause irregular heartbeat. Examples of such conditions include:
heart attack
heart failure
congenital heart defects
high blood pressure
infections that damage the heart muscle or the sac around the heart
diabetes (which increases the risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease)
sleep apnea (which can cause stress on the heart)
An overactive or underactive thyroid gland
Conventional Treatment for Irregular Heartbeat
If you experience dizziness, chest pain or fainting due to an arrhythmia, you may need to be treated. In order to diagnose an irregular heartbeat, a doctor listens to the rate and rhythm of your heart and for a heart murmur, an extra or unusual sound during the heartbeat. Your doctor may also check for swelling in your legs and feet because this can be a sign of heart failure. The most common test used to diagnose arrhythmias is an electrocardiogram (EKG). An EKG detects and records the heart’s electrical activity. It can measure the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart.
Medications
Antiarrhythmics are used to slow down a heart that’s beating too fast or change abnormal heart rhythm to a normal, steady rhythm. Beta-blockers are used to slow down a heartbeat by reducing its workload. Calcium channel blockers are also used to reduce heart rates. These medications come with a list of side effects, including worsening arrhythmias, allergic reactions, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting. These medications only help control an irregular heartbeat instead of curing the issue, so they may have to be taken for life. To avoid this, sometimes procedures are done to permanently treat or monitor irregular heartbeats.
Procedures
Irregular heartbeat can be treated with a pacemaker, a device that’s placed under the skin of the chest or abdomen to help control an abnormal heart rhythm. When the pacemaker detects an abnormal heart rhythm, it sends an electrical pulse to make the heart beat at a normal rate again. Doctors recommend a pacemaker when the heartbeat is slower than normal. This can happen as a result of aging, damage to the heart from a heart attack or other heart conditions that affect its electrical activity.
Surgery
Surgery may be done to improve blood flow to the heart muscle. Surgery is often the choice when it’s already being done for another reason, such as repairing the heart valve. One type of surgery done on patients with life-threatening arrhythmias is called the maze surgery or procedure. Maze surgery cures a fast, irregular heartbeat by creating a maze of new electrical pathways that lets electrical impulses travel more easily through the heart. This is a serious surgery that requires a hospital stay of five to seven days or longer, including at least one to two days in the intensive care unit. Recovery takes about two months, and in that time, you may feel some pain where the chest was opened and weaker than usual.