3 Myths About Having an Irregular Heartbeat

Your heartbeat is one of the physical signs that your heart is pumping blood, that is, beating. Your heart beating is also one of the telltale signs that you’re alive. How your heart is doing this is a different case though. Have you ever noticed the heartbeat go offbeat? Like a fluttery feeling in your chest? That is called atrial fibrillation (AFib), irregularities in the heartbeat. It is also known as arrhythmia.

A myth is a commonly held false belief, so you must have heard various takes on the particular matter. This condition has several myths attached to it, and they do not help people who notice the condition in themselves in any way. Many times the more you know about a condition, the more at rest your mind is and the quicker a solution can come for you. Therefore, we’re going to be explaining some of the causes of AFib and how the myths are wrong.

Causes of Atrial Fibrillation

What exactly is happening when your heartbeat is fluttering or you’re experiencing arrhythmia? Well, your heart and brain work hand in hand- they communicate- for your heart to keep a rhythm. When the heart’s upper chamber contracts too fast, the fluttering is noticed. There is no specific pointer to the cause of AFib in a person, but a few general causes are:

• Age:

One is more likely to develop atrial fibrillation as they get older. The muscles and organs get weaker as one begins to age. Therefore, atrial fibrillation is much more popular among older adults. This irregularity in heart rhythm can occur at any age, however, when it shows up in younger people it is often a result of other heart conditions.  Studies show that the average age in men is 66.8 and for women is 74.6 years.

• Sleep apnea:

Sleep apnea is also called Obstructive Sleep Apnea, OSA. A common sign of OSA is a blockage of the breathing airways for ten seconds or more while one is asleep. OSA has a range of severity, mild to severe, depending on how long it lasts.

• Heart and lung disease:

On the part of lung disease, when there is a lack of oxygen getting to the lung tissues  (tissue hypoxia), you can notice irregular rhythm in the heart. It may also be caused by some lung medication. While for that of heart disease, it is a matter of the signals the heart is getting. For them (signals) to work well, they need healthy heart tissue. But heart failure can actually lengthen your atria and cause tissue in your heart to thicken and blemish. Those changes confuses the electrical signals, and that disarrays the heart’s rhythm and can cause AFib.

• Genes:

Your genes are responsible for numerous happenings that occur in your system, the rhythm of your heartbeat is one of them. Atrial fibrillation has been linked to genes. Although this case is noticed in small numbers, about 30 percent of people with atrial fibrillation have a relative with the condition too. It’s best to consult a heart specialist when noticing such things.

• Birth defects:

Having congenital (from birth) heart disease can increase the likelihood of having  AFib. Congenital heart diseases are diseases that affect the way the heart works from birth. The possibility of having atrial fibrillation is consequently from residual shunts, progressive valvulopathy, anomalous vessel anatomy and hypertension. Atrial scars from previous heart surgery also make them susceptible to atrial fibrillation.

Knowing these causes, one has a better vantage point when dealing with AFib, there is no longer a need to fear, miss out or worry based on certain myths. This way you can handle it with clearer eyes. Here are 3 myths debunked:

Myth 1: Having an irregular heartbeat means your heart will stop beating soon

False! AFib does have side effects but this is not one of them. It is not likely that your heart will stop beating when the heartbeat is irregular. On the contrary, it is beating faster. After a while though, if AFib continues unchecked, the blood will pool and clot. It will be noticed that fluids can build up in your breathing organ, the lungs, and you’ll also notice that irregular heartbeats may result in too little blood getting to the heart. If this happens, what then is the function of the heart? This is why the need to see a cardiovascular specialist cannot be overemphasized. Contact cardiovascular specialist of south Florida to book an appointment and for consultations.

Myth 2: You can’t exercise with atrial fibrillation

This is also false. You know how all medics and all fitness experts constantly preach the “exercise message”? Well, it’s because they know how essential exercise is for living a long, vibrant and healthy life. Apart from keeping you fit and releasing happy hormones among other things, exercise strengthens the heart. The heart is a muscle so the whole pumping of blood and ensuring oxygen circulation that is done during exercise strengthens it. This means that someone with AFib actually needs exercise; it is beneficial, not detrimental. Now is not the time to shy away from exercise. If anything, engaging in simple yoga will boost your heart health and don’t forget that glow for your skin!

Myth 3: You would need surgery or a pacemaker to end AFib

Normally, your doctor’s first recommendation might be medication to treat AFib. Don’t get worked up when it comes to using medication or surgery, the doctors know which will be suitable for you depending on your position on the scale of severity. There are suitable medications to assist in controlling your heart’s rhythm and slow it down. Remember that the fluttering is a result of an increase in speed when the electric signals are messed up.

Now, if your AFib is persistent and non-invasive medications aren’t working, your doctor may propose surgery. The surgery for AFib is called ablation. This process involves scarring of and destroying tissues that are near the heart which may otherwise disrupt the rhythm of the heart. A pacemaker is a device that regulates heartbeat. Most times, doctors recommend pacemakers if the heart rhythm is too slow and you didn’t respond to other treatments. It is usually one of the last resorts when dealing with irregular heartbeat.

Here are a few home remedies for irregular heartbeat: 

• Eat foods that will benefit your heart ( be particular about it)
• Exercise regularly to keep the heart active. Walking and jogging are easy and effective exercises to do. You can also do some yoga.
• Maintain a healthy weight as this will be helpful

Conclusion

From all these, we can see that signs of AFib should be pointed out immediately to your doctor, or you can book an appointment with the Cardiovascular Specialist of South Florida. It is advisable not to take steps as regards the condition yourself without experts’ input. Good health shows itself in all we do and so does ill health too. You can take time to pay attention to your sleeping, eating and exercise habits for your health’s sake. These myths shouldn’t be paid attention to without asking experts questions.