Heart palpitations are described by NHS Choices as follows:
“Heart palpitations are heartbeats that suddenly become more noticeable.
Your heart may feel like it's pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly, often for just a few seconds or minutes. You may also feel these sensations in your throat or neck. Palpitations may seem alarming, but in most cases they're harmless and are not a sign of a problem with your heart.”
It is probably correct to say that they are harmless. Yet it is equally true that they can also be annoying, uncomfortable, and debilitating, often for long periods.
Conventional Medical Treatment for heart palpitations
The NHS Choices website has been used here as the source of information about the conventional medical treatment of this condition. However, it does not appear to offer any treatment for heart palpitations, unless they are considered to be part of a more serious condition, such as Arrhythmia, Atrial Fibrillation or Supraventricular tachycardia.
Perhaps this is because they consider heart palpitations for be a ‘harmless’ condition, or because they do not have confidence in any drugs they have for the condition.
However, they do admit that heart palpitations can be caused by “some types of medication”, and they mention specifically asthma inhalers, and drugs for thyroid problems. However, there are many more pharmaceutical drugs that are known to cause heart palpitations, and indeed, heart problems generally.
Homeopathic Treatment of Heart Palpitations
Homeopathy is a medical therapy that will avoid some of the side-effects and adverse reactions of conventional medical treatment. Homeopathy is the second most popular medical therapy in the world, and the most popular holistic system of medicine. Homeopathy is based on remedies made from a variety of different substances, all of which are known to cause symptoms of illness if taken in their normal form. However, homeopathy has discovered that substances that cause symptoms of illness can also cure those same symptoms of illness.
This is the principle of “Like cures Like” on which all homeopathy is based.
The task of the homeopath is to find a remedy whose symptom picture matches the symptoms of a person’s illness. These remedy symptom pictures have been developed over the last 220 years.
The selection of a homeopathic remedy is based on the individual’s symptoms of illness, not on any broad conventionally-defined illness. It is important to stress this. Homeopathy does not treat illness or diseases. Instead it treats an individual who has been diagnosed with a particular illness or disease. The distinction is important, and if you wish to read more about this, click on the chapter “Illness Diagnosis”.
As far as heart palpitations are concerned, homeopathy has highlighted a number of remedies that have been found to be useful in its treatment. The Hpathy.com website has outlined some simple remedy pictures for a number of these remedies. All the remedies mentioned are safe, and any remedy that matches the patient’s symptoms will be effective. These simple remedy pictures give some indication of the types of symptoms they will treat.
Aconite
This remedy is indicated when the palpitation is the result of fright, excessive physical exertion, functional or structural disease of the heart, lungs or stomach, in young, plethoric, robust individuals with an excitable temperament.
Arsenicum alb
Violent palpitation of the heart, the paroxysms being worse just after midnight. They are often accompanied by a paroxysm of nervous asthma and are attended with great restlessness and anxiety. There is frequently a periodicity about the attacks in those who are chlorotic and addicted to the excessive use of alcohol.
Arsenicum iod
This remedy should be studied where the arteries and heart show indications of degeneration.
Nux vomica
This remedy is often indicated when the palpitation is the result of a deranged stomach, liver or bowels, or from the abuse of alcohol, tea, coffee, or the result of excessive study.
Spigelia
When this remedy is indicated there is violent palpitation which is audible to the patient. The action of the heart is irregular both in rhythm and impulse, giving it an undulating motion. The palpitation is associated with shooting pains about the heart, rheumatism and intestinal worms.
Cinchona
When palpitation appears as a result of debilitating losses from diarrheas and hemorrhages or fevers, study this remedy.
Ignatia
When violent emotions or grief is acute; also, asafoetida, nux moschata and cocculus.
Pulsatilla: This remedy is to be thought of when palpitation appears as a result of menstrual derangement, or when fatty food has been taken.
Ferrum
This remedy is adapted to anaemic patients. The face changes colour frequently and is red at the beginning of an attack. These patients are often tubercular; are easily excited, and if females, the menses are scanty and uterine catarrh is present.
Digitalis
We have no remedy so frequently indicated in palpitation resulting from self abuses as this. It not only relieves the palpitation but it also diminishes and arrests the nightly emissions that so frequently accompany it.
Cannabis sat
This remedy should be thought of in those cases of palpitation of the heart that are the result of self abuse. It is second only to Digitalis in the relief of the palpitation from this cause and in its control over the sexual excitement.
Coffee
The palpitation is strong and visible; the patient is restless and weary, yet cannot sleep.
Calc carb and Sulphur
Should be studied in chronic cases.
Chamomilla and Opium
For cases that are the result of fright.
Platina
In cases of menstrual irregularity, retention of the menses and in cases of great sexual excitement.
Many of these remedies can be found in simple home-use remedy kits that can be obtained from these Homeopathic Pharmacies.
The Dr Homeo website takes a slightly different way of approaching the selection of a remedy, focusing on the emotional factors that can trigger heart palpitations.
- Palpitations due to anger
- Palpitations due to fright
- Palpitations due to grief
- Palpitations resulting from joy
- Palpitations with anxiety
- Palpitations from the intake of stimulants
- Palpitations following physical exertion, or slight movement
- Palpitations with anaemia
- Palpitations due to pharmaceutical drugs
- Palpitations at menopause
- Palpitations due to hyperthyroidism
- Palpitations with dyspeptic (acidic) symptoms
However, for an accurate, individualised remedy section, patients should consult with a qualified homeopath. This increases the likelihood of matching an individual with a remedy that will work for them. A remedy that does not match the symptoms of an individual’s illness will not work!
