Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Heart Palpitations Like Sensation?
Posted on
Fri, 11 Sep 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Fri, 11 Sep 2015
Answered on
Thu, 1 Oct 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : I feel like my heart flips in my chest. No pain or shortness of breath
Brief Answer:
Sounds like you are describing a heart palpitation.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to HCM,
The sensation of your heart flipping is called a palpitation and is usually from one or more irregular beats.
Many people get an occasional heart palpitation and these are usually not harmful.
However if you are getting them frequently or a "run" of them (lasting more than a couple seconds), or chest pain or pressure, light headedness or shortness of breath, then they need to be evaluated. Also if you have any history of heart disease.
Common causes of heart palpitations include:
Anxiety or stress
Strenuous exercise
Caffeine
Nicotine
Fever
Hormonal changes
Pseudoephedrine (in the cold medicine Sudafed)
Asthma bronchodilator inhalers
Hyperthyroidism
Sometimes palpitations can be due to an underlying heart arrhythmia. For that reason, if you have frequent or long palpitations, go to your doctor for an evaluation. He or she will do an exam, run an EKG, and possibly have you wear a Holter monitor device for 24 hours to see what arrhythmias it picks up. Depending on these he/she may also order an Echo (ultrasound) of the heart. These are all noninvasive tests.
If you do develop any chest pressure or pain, go to the ER immediately.
I hope this information helps.
Sounds like you are describing a heart palpitation.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to HCM,
The sensation of your heart flipping is called a palpitation and is usually from one or more irregular beats.
Many people get an occasional heart palpitation and these are usually not harmful.
However if you are getting them frequently or a "run" of them (lasting more than a couple seconds), or chest pain or pressure, light headedness or shortness of breath, then they need to be evaluated. Also if you have any history of heart disease.
Common causes of heart palpitations include:
Anxiety or stress
Strenuous exercise
Caffeine
Nicotine
Fever
Hormonal changes
Pseudoephedrine (in the cold medicine Sudafed)
Asthma bronchodilator inhalers
Hyperthyroidism
Sometimes palpitations can be due to an underlying heart arrhythmia. For that reason, if you have frequent or long palpitations, go to your doctor for an evaluation. He or she will do an exam, run an EKG, and possibly have you wear a Holter monitor device for 24 hours to see what arrhythmias it picks up. Depending on these he/she may also order an Echo (ultrasound) of the heart. These are all noninvasive tests.
If you do develop any chest pressure or pain, go to the ER immediately.
I hope this information helps.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
