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    cardiovascular

    Palpitations (adjunctive care)

    Also known as: heart palpitations, fluttering heart, awareness of heartbeat

    Palpitations are the uncomfortable awareness of your own heartbeat — fluttering, pounding, skipping or racing. Many are harmless and linked with stress, caffeine, poor sleep or hormonal change; some signal arrhythmia and need medical review, including an ECG. In Chinese medicine palpitations are 心悸 (xīn jì), a heart-spirit disorder treated through the heart, pericardium, spleen and kidney.

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    Lifestyle & Diet

    • •Cut back caffeine, energy drinks and alcohol while episodes are active.
    • •Aim for consistent sleep; poor sleep is a common trigger.
    • •Try a simple breathing exercise at episode onset — slow exhales often settle benign flutters.
    • •Record episodes with time, activity and heart rate for your GP.

    Cautions & Contraindications

    See sources
    • •Do not use stimulating or caffeine-containing herbal products while investigating palpitations.[]
    • •No needling over an implanted pacemaker site.[]
    • •Careful with blood-moving herbs if on anticoagulants.[]

    When to reassess or seek care again

    See sources

    Review at 4 weeks: episode diary, sleep, caffeine and alcohol intake. If episodes persist, request an ECG or Holter monitor through the GP.

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    Sources & Further Reading

    Clinical guidance, red flags and safety notes on this page draw on the following current sources alongside the classical references above.

    1. Palpitations — NICE CKS
      NICE · 2024
    2. Heart arrhythmias — Healthdirect
      Healthdirect Australia · 2024
    3. Arrhythmia — MedlinePlus
      National Library of Medicine · 2024

    Educational reference for licensed practitioners. Not a substitute for individual clinical assessment. Refer to conventional care for any red-flag or undiagnosed presentation.