What is the salt trick?

[abihel]

I was catching up on some post and someone mentioned the ' Salt Trick' to control episodes of Af..I'v never heard of it can someone please tell me about it. Thank you xx

[Japaholic]

A couple of times I have found that a quick "fix" of sea salt helps to calm or stop an episode.

In all honesty I dont know if it works or if its a placebo but it appeared to help me on a couple of goes.

I used a small tea spoon of sea salt on my dinner. Tried a drink once, nearly made me sick!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Japaholic]

WE are all different and I would take this with a pinch of . LOL The point is that the reason we all Pee a lot during AF is the heart telling the body to get rid of salt so it is counter intuitive to add some more. If it really does work for some people then it may make others worse so be careful.

Bob

[abihel in reply to BobD]

Thanks Bob xx

[abihel in reply to Japaholic]

Thank you x

[Drounding]

I find that rehydration salts help me. I can usually tell when I am more likely to go into afib, I usually get irregular beats first for a few hours and if I can stop that then the chances seem good that the afib will be averted. I also know that when I've had afib in the past my potasium level was very low.

[abihel in reply to Drounding]

Thank you x

[rosyG in reply to Drounding]

I found low potassium too

[Batbara in reply to Drounding]

Just wondering how you know your potassium is low. Is there a test you can take at home?

[Batbara in reply to Drounding]

Just wondering how you know your potassium is low. Is there a test you can take at home?

[Japaholic]

I've read a few things on here that I've tried, salt being 1, probiotics being another. I find just as triggers vary so do aids (helpers for AF, not HIV ) so I do take the proverbial pinch. I was told by a dr to massage my neck and pretend I was trying to poo. That didn't help either!

[abihel in reply to Japaholic]

Thank you x

[Hidden]

I have found it works if my afib attack is vagal. If it is ans (auto nervous system) then it doesn't seem to work. It is important that the salt is good quality sea salt or himalayan, preferably with iodine. I also find it works with calming a pre-afib attack of just plain irregular beats (like Drounding describes) and preventing an afib attack. Another helpful "trick" along these same lines is Bioplasma cellular salts..a homeopathic replenisher of all our salts.

I think those of us who have this strange thing called afib, are SUPER sensitive to any and every little off balance nuance in our bodies. It doesn't take much. I have recently discovered a profound relationship between a hiatal hernia and an afib attack. So now if i accidentally eat too fast or too much (making it a vagal issue)...i feel for the hernia and push it back down and it usually alleviates the discomfort and stops an attack.

@ Bob I have noticed i "pee" a lot after an afib episode, but didn't know it was part of the parcel...just thought it was me, and i wondered why. Thanks for the information that it is experienced by others. Now i have to do some research...it may shed some light on additional preventative measures.

[abihel in reply to Hidden]

Thank you...but what do you do 'take a spoonful of salt' x

[Hidden in reply to abihel]

abihel, i take a 1/4 + tsp in a small glass of water and sip at over 1/2 hour. Then i repeat if need to.

[abihel in reply to Hidden]

Thank you x

[abihel in reply to Hidden]

Thank you x

[Drounding in reply to Hidden]

I also have a hiatus hernia and it also causes me issues with afib if I eat too much or eat certain foods. I take Lansoprozol daily which helps as well. I definitely have a pronounced link between what I eat and my afib.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

What on earth is the difference between Himalayan & normal salt??!! Sandra

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Very simply unrefined Himalayan salt is 84% sodium chloride with lots of essential minerals whereas table salt is 98% sodium chloride with a lot of chemicals, and the heating process to "refine it" alters the chemical makeup, making it something the body doesn't recognize. Table salt is essentially a waste product. Here's one of many many articles you can read about it

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

[abihel in reply to Hidden]

Thank you x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Life _ choices thank you for the link. Interesting. Sandra

[Batbara in reply to Hidden]

I alo have a hiatel hernia. How do you push it down during an attack?

[Hidden in reply to Batbara]

Barbara I read about it on the internet and followed the video instructions. Chiropractors do this and it would be best to have a chiropractor actually teach you. I'm not sure i am doing it completely right as I've had success a few times but not every time. Google the youtube videos to show you the technique. Even gently massaging the area - moving downward from the sternum - also helps. Good luck.

[Hidden]

Ok so far i am learning that the atria produces a hormone called atrial natriuretic peptide. It is a response to increased blood volume in the heart chambers and sends the sodium and extra fluids out to reduce the workload on the heart during an episode in the heart. It makes sense now why the blood pressure drops so low during an attack (i thought is was just that the heartbeat was so irregular and chaotic that the pressure dropped, but now it seems it's a direct result of this hormone.) Can also occur during other heart episodes including ischemia.

So, now i am wondering....in my first attack, my bp was too low for the ER to do a conversion, so they gave me 5 liters of saline to raise the blood volume to raise the bp. But once my bp was raised, the heart converted spontaneously.

In my mind, this is confusing...if the heart is trying to lower the volume of blood, and rid the salt, why does taking salt and raising the blood volume stop the attack.

Hmmm.

Just thinking out loud. Maybe for us afibbers, it's 'CHANGE' that triggers us. That would explain why sometimes strenuous exercise sets one off, and other times it stops the attack cold. Why sometimes sleep exacerbates an attack and other times it is the trick to stop it. I have to admit, I hate big changes in my life such as moving and job changes... maybe i should just toughen up a bit more. Even at my ever youthful age.

[Terjo]

Interesting discussion . Something I've been trying to work out all weekend, think on the whole that there's a lot that we don't grasp that is hard to take in. I'm going to try and get a little more understanding from my doctor when I see him next month. I'm taking salt tablets even though I have high BP and been told to try and restrict my fluid intake a little. I think I've learnt why this is but want to know more. I also take electrolytes . Terjo

[abihel in reply to Terjo]

Thank you I also need to find out more.....I've just had my second cardio version alls well at the moment, but as I know from experience it may not last. x

[Polldoll in reply to abihel]

Me too re the peeing. My gp said it was coincidental so shows what they know! I thought it was connected ie if heart not pumping properly fluid builds up therefor it would make sense . Fortunately I have private medical insurance and got referred and hopefully sorted in a very short time . Just home post laser balloon catheter ablation ... Watch this space

[abihel]

Good luck Polldoll hope all goes well. I've just had my second cardio-version so far so good....fingers crossed. xx

[AFCyclist]

Sea salt has worked 5 times for me. Cannot explain how it works. Possibly related to potassium. A punch is enough. Mine comes from Gozo!