What's the difference?

I've been getting palpitations for two weeks.started a few hours after my dad passed away. I feel the thud in my throat. I've been checked and currently waiting for other tests but so far it's benign due to stress and anxiety. My dr told me when you have anxiety, you will get palpitations which aren't harmful. Just need to work on your anxiety.

Hi Isaack, heart flutters feel like a butterfly's wings flapping fast in your chest. An overstimulation of your nervous system as well as adrenaline.

Palpitations are like a bump in the road. Heart flutters are more like several bumps and really fast. Like a butterfly or hummingbirds wings. One flap is palpitation. A series combined is flutter. Both can be caused from many things. Heart disease, caffeine, indigestion, anxiety etc palpitations are quite normal and many people have them but can be more serious. Both can be the valve that opens and closes to let blood through your heart. Palpitations or Flutters can be atrial or ventricular. The atrium or ventricles misfiring. Either if combined with a very fast heart rate can be more dangerous. My dad had a pacemaker for ventricular fibrillation and my mom atrial primarily to control their heart rate and shock if the went into a fatal rhythm. It is definitely something you should discuss with your doctor as causes can range from nothing to fatal. With anxiety bad that can often be the cause but anxiety can cause more serious heart problems or exacerbate milder heart trouble. I would try to eliminate caffeine from your diet to start along with going to doctor for EKG. They have heart rate apps on smart phones that can check your heart rate. My mom uses them. Keeping a log of your BP and heart rate at different times of rest and activity or standing, lying and sitting can be very helpful as well when you go to your doctor and can help them with valuable information. They will do blood work and EKG probably and if any concerns may even want to send you home with a halter monitor for 24 hours. Don’t forget many causes are not dangerous! Just worth making sure of course. I wish you well!

The only real difference is rate and frequency. Flutters feel like a quick flittering. Like a hummingbird or butterfly depending on rate. They are both palpitations or “hiccups” Many are insignificant. It’s a fluttery feeling. Both can be scary of course if you don’t know the cause. Diet and exercise can help but anxiety or mental illness is often the cause.