What palpitations are
Palpitations are the moments you suddenly notice your own heartbeat: a flutter, a thump, a skipped beat or a run of racing. Most are harmless, set off by stress, caffeine, poor sleep, alcohol, hormonal shifts in perimenopause or an overactive thyroid. Some come from a heart rhythm problem that needs treatment, so the conventional pathway comes first: your physician or a cardiologist, an ECG, and often a monitor worn for days and blood tests for thyroid, anemia and electrolytes.
When to call 911
Palpitations with chest pain, fainting or near-fainting, or real breathlessness are an emergency. Call 911. Palpitations that come on with exercise, or a family history of sudden death at a young age, are reasons to see a cardiologist promptly.
The heart that startles
The classics call it xīn jì (心悸), the heart throbbing, and a more constant, heavier form zhēng chōng (怔忡). The Heart houses the shen, and when it is poorly anchored it startles. In a tired, pale person who sleeps poorly, the blood is too thin to hold it. In someone easily frightened, with vivid dreams, the Heart and Gallbladder are said to be timid. Hot evenings and night sweats point to yin that cannot hold heat.
How we work with it
Acupuncture aims to settle the shen, sometimes with calming scalp acupuncture lines. A classical formula follows the pattern; for an irregular, tired heart with a skipping pulse, a practitioner might consider Zhi Gan Cao Tang (Honey-Fried Licorice Decoction, 炙甘草湯), and only after a check against your heart medications; where phlegm-heat or anxiety drives the racing, a calming, clearing formula instead. Dietary therapy often starts with caffeine and meal timing.
Keep a short diary of episodes: when, how long, what you were doing. We review it with you, and anything new or different goes to your physician.
Formulas here illustrate how pattern diagnosis shapes treatment. They are not recommendations; a practitioner selects and adjusts formulas for the individual.
Questions people ask
Should I see a cardiologist before acupuncture for palpitations?
Yes. New, frequent or changing palpitations need a medical workup first, usually an ECG and often a heart monitor and blood tests. Once your physician or cardiologist has looked, we can work alongside them.
Can acupuncture help heart palpitations caused by anxiety?
Many people find acupuncture calming, and it is studied for its effects on the nervous system's balance between alert and rest. We treat the pattern behind your palpitations as supportive care and cannot promise they will stop.
I take a blood thinner or a heart rhythm medication. Is that a problem?
Tell us about every medication. Needling is adjusted for blood thinners, and any herb is checked against your heart medications before it is prescribed. We never ask you to change a prescription.
This is general wellness information, not medical advice.
