Symptoms

Pounding in chest, neck or ears
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Chest discomfort
Pounding heart
Rapidly fluttering heart
Fainting

What To Expect

The heartbeats can be felt as knocking, fluttering, racing or jumping. Depending on the cause of the palpitations, other symptoms may be present, e.g. chest discomfort or shortness of breath. Palpitations are frequent. People affected by palpitations often feel anxious and are alert. After an anxiety situation, the heart often starts beating very quickly and makes the person affected feel an unpleasant fear.

Made Worse By

Palpitations may occur due to overworking yourself, medication, alcohol or other drugs. You should try to avoid these. For example, cardiac arrhythmia, certain heart diseases, anxiety disorders or panic attacks, hyperthyroidism, but also caffeine can cause palpitations.

How Common

Everyone has palpitations at least once in their life when in a terrifying situation. It it pretty common but often not a serious condition.

Diagnosed By

Usually, a briefly noticed palpitations, a heart stumbling or an accelerated heartbeat (racing heart), depending on the situation, disappears quickly and is therefore of no real disease value. However, if these symptoms occur over a period of minutes, generally more frequently or with accompanying symptoms such as tightness of the chest and severe pain, dizziness, nausea, possibly vomiting, drowsiness and circulatory problems, cold sweat, shortness of breath or visual and speech disorders, you should definitely take this seriously and seek medical clarification.