Throat pounding, heart beating: causes and treatment

Author of the article

Volyk Larisa Vladimirovna

Reading time: 4 minutes

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A healthy person will not go to the hospital complaining that he feels his heart beating in his throat. The appearance of such a complaint usually indicates unfavorable processes in the body that need attention.

The appearance of a complaint of a palpitation in the throat should make a person think about problems with the cardiovascular system. However, this symptom does not always indicate problems with the heart. What other reasons could there be for an unpleasant feeling, and what should you do about them?

What you should pay attention to right away

An increased heartbeat, echoing in different parts of the body, including the throat, can be a common reaction of the body to stress, physical activity, especially dynamic ones, and some strong emotions. If the symptom is preceded by a situation of this nature, there is most likely nothing to worry about.

It is worth visiting a doctor if the feeling of palpitations in the throat occurs very often or is accompanied by other symptoms.

These could be, for example:

• pain in the heart area;
• difficulty breathing;
• increased sweating;
• dizziness, in severe cases up to loss of consciousness.

This may indicate problems with the heart.

There are also signs characteristic of disorders in the endocrine system:

• weight loss despite good nutrition;
• dermatological problems;
• deterioration of hair and nails;
• tremor.

It is definitely necessary to consult a doctor if sensations as if the heart is beating in the throat occur for no apparent reason or are accompanied by the above or other symptoms.

What causes the jaw to click, and what it could mean in the future

A healthy person should not feel his heart beating. It will not seem as if a vital organ has moved somewhere into the throat.

In some cases, this condition is a variant of the norm. It's possible:

• if the person has been subjected to intense physical activity;
• with strong fear and other expressed emotions;
• in stressful situations.

In this unpleasant condition, your body temperature may fluctuate. Then the symptom indicates the work of adaptation mechanisms to environmental conditions, and not about pathologies of the heart and blood vessels.

Sometimes the feeling that the organ is beating right in the throat occurs due to pathological changes.

In diseases of the endocrine system, these symptoms also develop at rest.

This sensation appears because the heart does not have enough strength to fully supply the organs and tissues with blood, so it begins to contract faster. Thanks to this, the lack of blood circulation is compensated, but the heart instantly wears out.

It is not always possible to make a diagnosis based on the “jaw crunch” symptom alone. Why does my jaw crunch when I yawn, open my mouth wide, or chew? Perhaps the bite is broken, there is not enough calcium, or rheumatism is developing.

Classification of causes

It should be noted that the causes of palpitations in the throat can be both pathological and non-pathological. This sensation can occur even in a completely healthy person in the following cases:

1. Severe physical stress and intense sports can cause increased heart rate, which can be felt in other parts of the body.
2. Strong emotional reactions, both negative and positive.
3. A significant increase in heart rate can be caused by eating certain foods that contain caffeine and other substances with similar effects on the body.
4. A similar reaction may occur due to the use of certain medications.
5. Even the healthiest body can react unpredictably, including this symptom when using drugs.

There are also pathological reasons that can cause this symptom.

Among them are:

• disruption of the cardiovascular system (often arrhythmias);
• reasons associated with disruption of the endocrine system;
• neurological causes;
• anemia.

All these disorders and groups of disorders differ in other symptoms, are diagnosed and treated in different ways.

The most common causes of palpitations in the throat

When considering why you might feel like your heart is pounding in your throat, you should keep in mind that some causes cause this symptom more often than others.
Among pathologies, it is most often a consequence of arrhythmia. Due to the fact that the heart muscle contracts irregularly, at some time intervals the frequency of contractions decreases, at other time periods it increases. This is why arrhythmias cause a feeling of palpitations in the throat. However, such a symptom can also occur in the opposite situation - with bradycardia, when the heart rhythm, on the contrary, becomes rarer.

The second place in the frequency of provoking palpitations in the throat is occupied by diseases of the endocrine system.

The syndrome can occur in one of two ways:

1. If the heart is not able to provide a stable flow of blood to all organs, it works at the limit of its strength at every opportunity. In this way, the lack of nutrition of other organs is compensated, but wear and tear on the heart increases.
2. Due to excessive production of hormones by the thyroid gland, the heart beats excessively quickly. The frequency of contractions increases so much that the heart beats are heard in other parts of the body, for example, in the throat.

The syndrome in question can also be caused by some other disorders associated with the endocrine system:

• decreased blood glucose levels;
• increased amount of thyroid hormones;
• tumors on the adrenal glands.

It should be added that hypochondriacs often complain about this syndrome. They experience palpitations in the throat when trying to fall asleep and when waking up, in a variety of stressful situations.

Often in such people the corresponding syndromes appear when discussing or thinking about heart and other diseases. Cases have been recorded where, in such situations, pathological processes that arose for no reason were recorded in hypochondriacs using an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Treatment approaches

The doctor prescribes treatment for the patient based on the reason that led to the feeling of palpitations in the throat. Without establishing a clear reason, prescribing any therapy is not only useless, but also dangerous. The only thing a doctor can recommend, if the cause is still unknown, is to follow the basic rules of a healthy lifestyle:

• quitting smoking and drinking alcohol;
• normalized work and rest schedule;
• proper and balanced nutrition.

If the cause is established, then treatment is prescribed based on the data obtained. So, for example, if an excess of thyroid hormones is diagnosed, the patient will be advised to take antithyroid drugs, and if the problem is arrhythmia, then drugs of the antiarrhythmic group will be prescribed.

Timely treatment in a fairly short time helps the patient get rid of an unpleasant symptom, but this is only possible if the therapy is chosen correctly and is aimed at eliminating the cause of the unpleasant feeling.

The feeling of palpitations in the throat is an unpleasant sensation that often causes a lot of inconvenience to patients. A symptom may indicate many different pathologies, so timely consultation with a doctor and correct diagnosis are very important. You can’t start fighting an unpleasant symptom without establishing its cause! Thoughtless treatment based on independent conclusions will only worsen the situation.

Infectious heart diseases

The result of incomplete cure of an infectious disease can be an infectious lesion of the heart.
So, if a child is prescribed strong antibiotics due to an infectious disease of the respiratory tract, and parents reduce the dose out of caution, infectious myocarditis may subsequently occur due to the fact that the infection has left the respiratory tract, but has not been destroyed, and remains on the heart.

The syndrome then occurs for the following reasons:

1. As a result of heart damage by infection, the rate of its wear and tear increases.
2. The heart muscle does not provide sufficient blood flow.
3. The sensations arise when, at certain moments, the heart tries to compensate for the lack of blood flow by working more intensely.

To prevent such a situation, you should carefully follow the instructions of your doctor. Infectious and inflammatory heart diseases also cause the following symptoms:

• pain in the chest that affects other parts of the body;
• difficulty breathing;
• increased blood pressure;
• increase in body temperature.

The heart jumps out of the throat with a disease such as myocarditis. This disease is manifested by inflammation of the heart muscle and occurs as an independent infectious or “immune” inflammation, or as a complication of another disease affecting the connective tissue.

Myocarditis is characterized by shortness of breath, palpitations felt in the throat after exercise, sweating, rapid pulse, and an increase in the size of the heart and liver.

Causes of a neurotic nature

Often, in the absence of a physical illness, the syndrome can be a sign of neurological problems. There are a number of signs by which, in combination with palpitations in the throat, a neurological problem can be diagnosed:

1. Dizziness. This syndrome may also be present with damage to the blood vessels of the brain, but the sensations usually vary. In the case of neurotic problems, people usually describe their sensations by comparing them to falling; in the case of vascular problems, they define dizziness as rotational.
2. Lump in throat. In addition to the palpitation in his throat, at the same time a lump seems to be rolling up to him from below - while there are no physical barriers as such, which is confirmed by the absence of problems when eating.
3. Numb limbs. Complaints of numbness in the hands and feet are more common - extremely rare.
4. Vision problems. The appearance of multi-colored spots of various sizes before the eyes.
5. Respiratory problems - it can be intercepted, there are complaints of suffocation.

If these signs are present, there is reason to believe that the disease as such exists only “in the head.”

Panic attacks

Panic attacks can occur under stress, but sometimes even in a calm state. Signs of a panic attack:

1. Increased sweating.
2. Tremor.
3. Dry mouth.
4. Changes in heart rate, which can cause a sensation in the throat.
5. Perhaps a lump in the throat.
6. Difficulty breathing to the point of suffocation.
7. Chest pain.
8. Nausea.

This condition can occur both due to strong emotions and against the background of certain diseases of the thyroid gland.

Anemia (anemia)

Anemia is a disease characterized by a lack of iron and vitamin B12 in the blood. Women most often suffer from anemia after childbirth, with blood loss, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Anemia is characterized by the following symptoms:

• significant decrease in performance;
• improper functioning of taste buds;
• dry mouth;
• "lump in the throat";
• cardiopalmus;
• difficulty breathing;
• drying of the skin;
• deterioration of hair and nails;
• angulitis

As in previous cases, throbbing in the throat is not an independent disease. In itself, as a fact, it is not treated - the disease that causes it is treated.

Associated symptoms and causes

A lump in the throat with a rapid heartbeat develops under the influence of pathological and non-pathological reasons.

If a person is completely healthy, then this problem occurs:

• while playing sports;
• with strong positive and negative emotions;
• with abuse of drinks containing caffeine and overeating;
• while taking certain medications;
• when using drugs.

Pathological causes accompanied by this symptom include:

• heart pathologies, which usually include arrhythmias;
• diseases of the endocrine system;
• neurological disorders;
• anemia.

These conditions require detailed diagnosis and treatment.

Heart disease

This symptom often accompanies congenital and acquired defects.

Acquired defects occur if a person has suffered from rheumatism, inflammation of the endocardium, or lupus for a long time.

With such problems, hypertrophic changes develop in certain parts of the heart, swelling, pain in the chest, respiratory dysfunction, blood pressure in the arteries increases and decreases, and bluish skin.

Infectious heart diseases

If the infection is not completely cured, the pathological process spreads to the heart muscle.

For example, if antibacterial drugs were prescribed to treat an infectious respiratory tract in a child, and the parents reduced the dosage on their own to reduce harm to the body, then the risk of infectious myocarditis increases.

This is due to the fact that the pathogen left the respiratory system, but remained in the heart.

The problem occurs because:

• under the influence of infection, the heart wears out faster;
• the blood circulation process is disrupted.

The feeling of a heartbeat in the throat occurs when the heart tries to compensate for the lack of blood flow.

To avoid such problems, it is necessary to treat infections completely. With heart disease caused by infections, a person suffers from:

• pain in the chest that spreads to other parts of the body;
• breathing difficulties;
• increased blood pressure in the arteries;
• increase in body temperature.

If the heartbeat is heard in the throat, this may indicate myocarditis. The disease is characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle. In this case, a person experiences shortness of breath, a strong heartbeat after physical activity, increased sweating, and an enlarged heart and liver.

Also read: Features of atrial extrasystole

Causes of a neurotic nature

This clinical picture is often observed with neurological problems. The fact that the increased heart rate is due to disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system can be understood by the presence of the following symptoms:

1. Dizziness. The symptom is characteristic of damage to the blood vessels of the brain. People describe the sensation as a feeling of spinning.
2. Lump in throat. The patient complains that a lump seems to be rolling up to his throat from below. But there are no pathologies that can lead to this, since a person does not experience difficulties while eating.
3. Feeling of numbness in the limbs. Usually my hands go numb. Numbness of the legs is observed in very rare cases.
4. Visual impairment. Multi-colored spots of different sizes flash before your eyes.
5. Breathing problem. Some complain of suffocation or shortness of breath.

In this case, the help of a neurologist is necessary.

Panic attacks

Such attacks occur not only in stressful situations, but also in complete calm. During a panic attack:

• sweating increases;
• tremor occurs;
• dry mouth;
• the heart rate increases, which goes to the throat;
• a lump appears in the throat;
• breathing becomes difficult to the point of suffocation;
• chest pain;
• nausea is observed.

The problem may be associated with strong feelings or certain diseases of the thyroid gland.

Anemia

Anemia occurs when there is a lack of iron and vitamin B12 in the blood. This condition most often occurs in women after childbirth, bleeding, and pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

This condition is accompanied by:

• significant decrease in performance;
• dysfunction of taste buds;
• dry mouth;
• lump in throat;
• increased heart rate;
• difficulty breathing;
• dry skin, deterioration of hair and nails;
• the appearance of a jam in the corners of the mouth.

The problem can be eliminated only by finding out its cause and treating it.

Diagnosis of the cause

The first thing a doctor will advise a patient with a complaint of palpitations in the throat is to give up bad habits, including alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes.
Sometimes the cause is identified very quickly, but it happens that you have to contact several different specialists and undergo a series of tests in order to understand the situation and receive instructions for treatment.

In the process of searching for causes, you may have to consult the following doctors:

1. Cardiologist (primarily, further specialists if necessary).
2. Endocrinologist.
3. Neurologist.
4. Psychologist.

When contacting a doctor with this complaint, the following actions in one or another combination are possible:

1. Questioning and examination of the patient, it is necessary to list bad habits, medications taken recently, questions about mobility, lifestyle, diet. Based on the results of this stage, the doctor prescribes further examinations.
2. Referral for an electrocardiogram (ECG) and ultrasound examination of the heart. These tests can easily diagnose or rule out arrhythmias, as well as changes in the heart that may indicate a heart defect or other heart disease.
3. A 24-hour cardiogram may be prescribed to help identify disorders that occur only at certain moments that could have eluded ultrasound and ECG.
4. A blood test to detect problems with the thyroid gland.
5. Referral for radiography and echocardiogram. The condition of the heart valves can be most clearly assessed, and it is used if there is a suspicion of their defects that negatively affect the functioning of the heart.
6. Referral for ultrasound of the thyroid gland.
7. Other thyroid tests are possible.

If the doctor concludes that the symptom is due to panic attacks, the patient should also be referred to a psychologist.

Diagnostic measures

The doctor, after talking with the patient, will pay attention to his general condition, evaluate complaints and appearance. Based on what he sees, he will also prescribe additional tests to confirm the diagnosis.

One of the first mandatory studies is an ECG. The technique does not require high costs, it is simple to perform, and its implementation does not require any particularly complex manipulations with the patient. An ECG can help diagnose arrhythmias and can help determine tachycardia or bradycardia. The same research method will help to suspect the patient of any changes in the structure of the heart muscle.

Cholesteric monitoring is another technique used in diagnosis. It monitors changes in heart rate over a 24-hour period. Thanks to Holter monitoring, it is possible to diagnose, for example, incoming arrhythmias that torment the patient only at a certain time of the day.

Additionally, the doctor, at his discretion, can prescribe a hormone test, a glycemic profile study, and recommend visiting other specialists.

When a feeling of heartbeat appears in the throat area, the diagnosis should be as complete as possible.