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slow heart rate

angela_xy profile image
17 Replies

Hi there, could anyone tell me if bradycardia (slow heart rate) can be caused by long term stress/anxiety? Thanks for reply

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angela_xy profile image
angela_xy
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17 Replies
BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

Nothing is impossible but generally stress causes a release of adrenaline which generally speeds up the heart as in the "fight or flight" reflex.

angela_xy profile image
angela_xy in reply to BobD

Thank you for your reply, yes it would be unusual, I used to have anxiety/panic attacks so I'm familiar with fight or flight response so bradycardia symptoms make no sense to me, however me GP disagrees.

Mickey16 profile image
Mickey16

Hi angela_xy,

I attach a link regarding Bradycardia. Hope this helps.

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

Excerpt from above link.

Risk factors related to heart disease

Bradycardia is often associated with damage to heart tissue from some type of heart disease.

Therefore, factors that increase your risk of heart disease can also increase the risk of bradycardia. Lifestyle changes or medical treatment might decrease the risk of heart disease associated with the following factors:

High blood pressure

Smoking

Heavy alcohol use

Recreational drug use

Psychological stress or anxiety

Regards,

Mickey16

angela_xy profile image
angela_xy in reply to Mickey16

Thank you for the link Mickey16.

Maagaa profile image
Maagaa

Hi Angela got Brady after a big surgery and hypothyroidism put the lid on it for me. Dizzy fainted nausea so my Electrophysiologist put in a pacemaker set at 60 and feel like a new person. Good Luck

angela_xy profile image
angela_xy in reply to Maagaa

Thank you for your reply. They checked my TSH level and it was at minimum level so no hypothyroidism - although they probably should check ft3 and ft4 as well due to thyroid problems in my family (Hashimoto, hyperthyroidism). Can I ask how low was your heart rate before the pacemaker?

Maagaa profile image
Maagaa in reply to angela_xy

Angela,sorry response wasn’t sooner Ihave been away. My heart was going day to day between 43 and 45 I felt awful just rundown. Good Luck do it you will be so pleased. Prayers with you at this time💝

AnneWorner profile image
AnneWorner

I had bradychardia in 2001 - my pulse was around 48 bpm. A smart doctor took some thyroid function tests and found I was severely hypothyroid. This might be something to look into.

Also, there are drugs that cause slow heartrate. Such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers.

I hope you get to the bottom of it. It's not pleasant. I imagine it makes you feel fatigued.

angela_xy profile image
angela_xy

Thank you for your reply. My TSH was normal (closer to minimum range) and thyroid scan was also ok although my mother and my sister have thyroid problems - Hashimoto and hyperthyroidism). I'm going to repeat the blood test soon. I'm not on any medication, my GP wants to put me on anti-depressants and to me that should be the last possible diagnosis as these drugs can masks the real cause, so I hit the dead end when it comes to getting help from GP.

EngMac profile image
EngMac

I have a low heart rate, normally in the 50's, but often in the 40's with the lowest I have seen of 27. The normal fix recommended by heart doctors is a pacemaker if other causes cannot be found. For me the cause is nerve issues in my back and neck. Heart doctors will likely never suggest this as a cause. These nerves regulate the heart. After many chiropractic adjustments, I can make my heart beat normally and raise my heart rate with a chiropractic adjustment and often just by moving my back or neck. If you can find a corrective chiropractor, you may wish to have your back and neck checked for subluxations. I do not take any medications. The pacemaker may be fixing a symptom but not the cause. For me, I would rather fix the cause.

angela_xy profile image
angela_xy in reply to EngMac

You're absolutely right, I want to find the cause first, not just treat the symptoms. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you refer to the vagus nerve which controls the heart rate. I did have an operation for scoliosis years ago (it looks ok on x-ray), also some issues with neck muscles (strained muscles due to uncomfortable position at work, tense neck most of the time) - I did some exercises with a physiotherapist (including acupuncture), it helped with tight neck and shoulders but not bradycardia, however maybe I should see a chiropractor as well, as you suggested. Was your brad. symptomatic? Did you feel lightheaded, nauseous?

EngMac profile image
EngMac

youtube.com/watch?v=yjRqpwm.... Take a look at this video. Is called "Heart Arrhythmias - the missed cause" by Dr. John Bergman.

My heart will beat in the 40's, 50's, and 60's with spikes sometimes over 100 for a fraction of a second. I have never been light headed or nauseous. When the heart beats in the low 40's, I definitely know it.

I also have a device called a Scenar. Recently the seller has been doing free training webinars for those who purchase from him and I have learned how to use it more effectively. People all over the world have purchased this and I am amazed, when on the training webinar, they state how it has helped them in a multitude of ways. It is worth the cost just to eliminate, without drugs, all kinds of pain. The one I purchased from Jimmy K. is the PCM-6 on the Denaspainreliefstore.com site.

Apparently, when a chiro adjustment is made, it causes inflammation where the vertebrae is located. The brain does not like the inflammation so it puts the vertebrae back. It can take many adjustments to convince the brain to leave it in the desired position. The Scenar, (which most chiropractors know nothing about and doubt claims about it) when applied with the correct frequency, eliminates the inflammation and thus the brain will leave the vertebrae in the new position more quickly. Since I have learned how to apply the Scenar to do this, I have had greater success with the adjustments and a much better impact on my heart with fewer AF episodes. Only time will tell if this lasts.

Unfortunately, there is not a cookie cutter solution, yet, using this approach and each individual has a different circumstance in their neck and back which makes it more difficult to have one. And of course there is little money to be made and lots to lose so there isn't anyone promoting a Chiro option. Heart doctors don't know anything about this possibility so they will not help. For me the effort and frustration has been better than a pacemaker, surgery or drug option. Not everyone will think the same and this is not a solution for all heart issues. If it is one for you, you will never know unless you try.

I learned about the Scenar from a chiropractor.

angela_xy profile image
angela_xy in reply to EngMac

Thanks for your reply again. I watched the video, it makes sense, I've got one question for you, did you have any MRI scan done before you saw the chiropractor? Also, in the video this doctor shows an automatic activity diagram, are you familiar with this?

EngMac profile image
EngMac

Hi. I apologize for the late reply. Medical issues in the family have kept me busy.

I haven't looked at the video lately and forget what the autonomic activity diagram is. I did not have an MRI done. Where I am in Canada, these are only available in a publicly funded hospital and I can not get one for this purpose. Heart doctors don't agree that the back has a significant impact and unless there is a definite reason for the MRI, one cannot be had. It took a lie by my family doctor for me to get an X-ray. Again only the public system does these and the chiropractor cannot justify having a machine, since patients think they only need the ones provided that are "free". If the chiropractor sends patients for X-rays that turn out not to be needed, their access for future X-rays is blocked. People forget the amount of tax that we pay for "free" health care.

If you can get definitive tests, then get them. If your chiropractor does X-rays, you should get it done by this person since the body must be placed in a specific position to obtain the correct view.

angela_xy profile image
angela_xy in reply to EngMac

Thank you for the reply again, I was busy this week as well so I apologize for writing back so late :-) yes it is crazy how difficult it is to get basic tests done, I have to do some of mine privately, I had the x-ray done but is seems normal, except for very early stage of cervical discopathy; I also had two appointments with physotherapist who did trigger points massage (that was painful quite a lot),etc; after the first visit I was dizzy and feeling faint for two days but my resting heart rate went up to 70-80 and blood pressure increased as well, the second massage was less painful, there was no side effects and I'm feeling fine. I'm wondering how many of these do I need to know that it helps long term? Also do you think that tense muscles in the neck can put pressure on the nerves which then affect the heart?

EngMac profile image
EngMac

If you can find a corrective chiropractor, one who checks your whole neck and back and makes the necessary adjustments, not only adjustments based on complaints that you may have. And once you are adjusted in the best way possible, one who recommends that you continue to receive adjustments, maybe monthly, to keep you fully aligned. It can take a year to completely adjust you if you have significant issues. You can always check out a few chiropractors to see if any do anything for atrial fibrillation. In Canada, they are not allowed to say that they do but might give you an answer if you directly ask if the answer is based on what they are allowed to say. Chiropractic adjustments can help many health issues. If you don't know anything about chiropractic, I suggest that you do some research. Often medical doctors have a negative opinion that is likely based on very little fact.

Yes, I have experienced that tense muscles, stress, the vagal manouver,etc all can affect the nerves that affect the heart.

Now if you are really into voodoo, check out the Scenar PCM-6 on the Denaspainreliefstore.com. This thing is amazing and is based on 50 years of Russian doctor research. There are several Scenar manufacturers. The PCM-6 has a reasonable cost, can be used by a layperson, and free training is provided whereas others are much more expensive and the necessary training is also expensive. Call Jimmy K, leave a message and he will call you back if you want to know more. He is legit and is focussed on helping people in a proper way. It is not a scam. This is a great device for eliminating pain without drugs and for helping with many other health issues. A chiropractor told me about another brand of Scenar and he uses it every day to help eliminate patient's pain.

angela_xy profile image
angela_xy in reply to EngMac

I will definitely try to find a good chiropractor in my area, all the info you gave is very helpful, and yes, you are very correct about doctors not knowing much about neck and back adjustments. However this voodoo device :-) it does seem like a scam to be honest, there aren't many reviews, I'm not sure about it.

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