Heart
Palpitations
Palpitations
are described as a feeling of a “fluttering” of the
heartbeat or an increased heart rate that becomes very obvious and
concerning to the patient. These symptoms are often linked to anxious
constitutions, and can be an outward manifestation of internal turmoil.
Unfortunately, although this condition is not usually a source of
concern, it can cause significant additional anxiety in the patient
(which of course leads down a vicious circle).
Treatment
Goal(s):
· Reduce the frequency of palpitations, calm the nervous
system
Primary
Treatment:
· Administer Crategus oxyacantha (Hawthorn) and Leonurus
cardiaca (Motherwort) in an equal-parts formula, taken at a dose
of ½ tsp. 2-3 times daily.
· Ask the patient to carry a small vial of Lavender essential
oil to use as needed in case of palpitations (inhale deeply).
Supportive Treatment:
· Nervine tonics and relaxants can be helpful long-term.
Consider Avena sativa (Oats), Scutellaria lateriflora (Scullcap),
and/or Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm).
· More intensely anxious constitutions may benefit from a
combination of Avena sativa (Oats) and Piper methysticum (Kava-Kava).
Treat nervous system imbalances appropriately (and perhaps as a
primary treatment course if nervous system symptoms are more distressing
than the cardiovascular ones).
Differential
diagnoses, cautions, and other considerations:
· If the patient has not yet been to a medical doctor, one
should be consulted to rule out the potential of atrial fibrillation
(which can be treated similarly to, but more aggressively than,
heart palpitations) or other defects / deficiencies in the heart
muscle. This is especially true in older clients.
