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Heart Palpitations Forum >> Symptoms and other concerns >> Burping.. am I the only one?
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Message started by Qgirl on Apr 6^th, 2010, 2:44am

Title: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by Qgirl on Apr 6^th, 2010, 2:44am

Sorry for the slightly crude title. I'm new here, though have been helped much already by the superb information on this site, but there is something I would like to know about and wondered if anyone could help?
I started getting 'thumps' about 2 years ago when I was working out, but didn't think anything of it at the time. They are more frequent these days but something I almost always get after is the need to burp - lots!
I've not seen this mentioned much before and wondered if i'm the only one? My doctor says they must be ectopic beats and has listened and says things sound fine, but i'm booked in for a 24 hr holter test tomorrow to make sure. I've only ever 'caught' them twice when feeling my pulse and have never felt the 'pause' that a lot of people refer to, nor do I ever feel this pause in my chest (in fact there doesn't seem to be any change in the beats). Sometimes the thumps are very faint and I take no notice, but occasionally they are huge and seem to come in waves, like 3 in a row, though I never feel light-headed or sick, just terrified.
I often feel like my chest is 'full of air' until the burps finish, this often eases them but doesn't necassarily stop them. Sometimes I can go days without one, then get days on end with them, but is it normal that I do not feel the pause and get lots of wind?
I'm guessing it's Vagus nerve stimulation from excess air in the stomach, I guess i'm just looking for reassurance.
I've been affraid to exercise because they feel worse if I do, but I love to and can't live a life without it. Please can someone reassure me? I have to grab my chest when these happen sometimes due to the shock and size of them, how come I don't see others doing this if they are as common as my GP tells me? :(

Thanks for listening, sorry if it's all been said before :-/

Clare

Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by Typer on Apr 6^th, 2010, 4:19am

Hi Clare, no you are not the only one. There are many posts here that speak of burping. You are right it is pressure and vagus nerve from what RLR says - burping relives the pressure. Some people drink water to produce burping for relieve. I aslo get thumps when I slump forward or press against my left side. So weird but it is the pressure on my stomach. I often cough too, but then the vagus nerve would be involved with that too.

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Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by George88 on Apr 6^th, 2010, 5:54am

Hi,

I also get a lot of gas in my stomach that seems to make my skipped beats worse. I almost always notice them when I bend, lean or assume certain positions and it is the result of pressure in the stomach caused by the excess gas present which stimulates the vagus nerve. The excess gas may be because you are swallowing too much air or maybe something you're eating is producing gas.

Regardless of the cause, as RLR would no doubt be assuring you right now: they are harmless and can not damage or weaken your heart in any way.

When I first started getting skipped heart beats I was absolutely terrified of them. Every skipped beat would cause a panic attack and I was consumed by thoughts of terror. Nowadays I just ignore them, even the stronger ones. Like you, I've also had times when they are worsened by exercise and I have come to the conclusion that gas is the cause again. You are doing a lot more moving around when exercising which may cause your abdominal area to become compressed or tense thus creating more potential for ectopics. I have noticed a couple of times that the skipped beats can even be painful or very uncomfortable if your heart is beating fast (like during exercise). If you've never had a painful skipped beat, count yourself lucky; they are terrifying!

Also, the fact that you're having that sensation in your chest without a skipped beat is probably not significant. I also get this sensation and I believe it is because the vagus nerve doesn't just innervate the heart. The stomach, esophagus, larynx and pharynx are also connected to it, I believe.

By the way, most people do get skipped beats but they just don't notice them. Before I started getting them I don't even remember a time when I was actually aware of my heart beat.

Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by daybyday on Apr 7^th, 2010, 11:56am

Had this myself too. I think with anxiety I tend to gulp air with my food.

Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by johnny on Apr 7^th, 2010, 3:21pm

Hi, it's been a while since my last post but I've been reading all posts. Anyway this is what I have most of the time. It may be because of something I eat or stress I don't know but I burp a lot. As you say I feel pressure in my chest which is relieved by each burp. Also I can get heartburn sometimes (for example today). Feel like there is a balloon there which moves when twisting or making leaning movements. Moving a lot or taking quick deep breaths worsens it for me but burping really helps.

By the way I ignore almost all my palps now. Even the terryfying ones.

Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by Qgirl on Apr 8^th, 2010, 2:37am

Thank you to all of you for replying to my post, it has really helped me to relax a little about these. I am wearing my 24 hr holter monitor now, due to give it back this morning so hopefully all will be ok with the results, if it is then I know I will feel reassured. I guess I will have to face facts - I may always have these horrible things! But if i'm to move on then I have to let go of this fear and learn to react less to them. If they are Vagus nerve related then I wonder what can 'trigger' this to start being 'stimulated' at some point.. where it wasn't before?

When I don't have these for a few days I feel as happy as ever... but then BANG out of the blue and it feels like the end is nigh!

Feeling more positive now, thanks again people.

xx

Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by daybyday on Apr 8^th, 2010, 11:22am

Qgirl. I know exactly how you feel. I have GAD and had been skip beat free for months even with the high GAD. And then a couple weeks ago, they started up again. I can somewhat go with them in the day. But a few nights I lay there thinking it was my last night on earth.
I tried stretching, breathing, water. Then took half a Rolaids because it worked another night, and fell asleep, woke up panicky, yet my heart was purring along all happy and content. Go figure. Frustrating.

Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by RLR on Apr 25^th, 2010, 4:53am

Okay, this is a very common complaint. Remember that the vagus nerve innervates the GI tract as the pneumogastric nerve and when air becomes trapped in the lumen of the intestines or bowel, it can sometimes produce stimulation which produces an evoked potential or impulse which travels along the vagus nerve until it reaches the terminal endings.

Although all innervated areas respond as they normally do when stimulated, the heart is especially affected due to its constant motion and activity. It's very, very important to remember that this type of response happens to everyone's heart under circumstances wherein you have been suddenly startled or frightened. The difference in cases where no startle response occurs is that the vagus action on the heart occurs in the absence of any known cause to the person experiencing it and therefore, it mistakenly becomes a symptom that something is wrong.

It's also critical to realize that some people have increased sensitivity, which in this context simply means that the sensory processes of these persons respond to certain internal or environmental stimuli and produce feedback to the nervous system and brain. Remember that the senses can be visual, auditory, gustatory(taste), olfactory(smell) and tactile(touch), so feedback can be either represent a more singular sensory response or multiple depending upon the stimulus.

As part of the increased sensitivity, the nervous system in general responds more dramatically in such persons so the incidence of palpitations due to vagus nerve stimulation can be quite prominent.

The presence and increase of palpitations can also be due to the presence of generalized anxiety disorder, but it must reach levels wherein it is chronic rather than acute and must be elevated to the extent that it produces a sub-threshold state of apprehension and fear necessary to invoke the fight-or-flight physiological response by the body. This is the case for many sufferers who appear on this forum.

So while there are several underlying circumstances responsible for the palpitations in this regard, they constitute and entirely harmless event in all instances and should not in any context be erroneously associated with heart disease or some type of imminent failure of the heart to perform as necessary. This type of disturbance is completely non-pathological and is incapable from placing you at risk.

Best regards and Good Health

Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by Rob on Apr 30^th, 2010, 9:53pm

So with all this talk about signals from the vagus nerve which seem to explain some of my own issues, how do we counteract the effect? Can I stop these impulses in any way?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Burping.. am I the only one?
Post by RLR on May 1^st, 2010, 12:06pm

Okay, the impulses from the vagus nerve are a natural physiological response taking place at inappropriate intervals. It's not as simple as putting a stop to the signals reaching the heart because the heart depends upon stimulation by the vagus nerve.

You need to realize that increased stimulation of the nervous system due to stress and or anxiety are producing the events.

The ability to diminish the palpitation events has to do with reducing anxiety and or stress. Many persons who experience palpitations of this type are either unable to define the source of their anxiety and stress or alternatively refute the existence of the anxiety and stress altogether, claiming the cause to be anything otherwise.

A reduction in the stressors and anxiety which stimulate the nervous system to the extent that palpitation events become likely, directly correspond with a reduction in their frequency.

Best regards and Good Health