13 Year Old’s Chest Hurts when Inhaling: Possible Causes
Here’s what to do if your 13 year old’s chest hurts upon inhaling, and what the possible causes are including a heart problem. (more…)
All the Smells a Baby’s Poop Has and What They Mean
Baby poop smells different than that of adults, and there are different kinds of odor that a baby’s bowel movements can have. (more…)
Baby Poop Dangerous Color Guide by a Pediatrician
The color of your baby’s poop says a lot about their health.
Certain colors and even textures mean potentially serious conditions that need prompt medical attention. (more…)
Can a Brain Tumor Cause a Nosebleed?
A brain tumor actually can cause a nosebleed.
“Tumors starting from the skull base can erode into the sinus cavity causing nosebleeds,” says John M. Abrahams, MD, chief of neurosurgery at Northern Westchester Hospital, and founder of the Westchester Neuroscience Research Foundation which is studying the genomic profile of malignant brain tumors. (more…)
Heart Pounds after Bending Over, Standing Back Up
If your heart pounds or races after bending over and then standing back up, there is good news and also bad news for you. (more…)
What Feeling a Pulse in Your Head Really Means
Does feeling a pulse or heartbeat in your head mean you have an aneurysm?
There are two ways to experience feeling a pulse in your head.
What Causes High Blood Pressure in Skinny Adults?
There’s a simple reason why many thin people have high blood pressure, but this reason is no excuse for obese people to deny the dangers of excess weight. (more…)
How Much Worse Is a Total Cholesterol of 1,000 than 500?
Can total cholesterol be SO high, 1,000 vs. 500, that anything higher would not make a difference in how at risk the patient is for a heart attack?
What about treatment options; would they differ? (more…)
Chest Pain from Anemia vs. Heart Attack: Symptom Comparison
What features of chest pain from a heart attack would not be felt from anemia?
A person may also have symptoms days before the actual heart attack. (more…)
Can Heart Palpitations Be Caused by Low Iron Levels?
Heart palpitations—the perception that the heart is skipping beats, making extra beats or beating erratically, has multiple causes.
Low iron levels can be associated with this situation, which ranges from annoying to frightening.
Suddenly feeling your heart doing flip-flops or a perceived “skipping” or “extra” beat can stop a person in their tacks and make them worry they’re about to have a heart attack.
Iron Levels
“Low blood iron levels, in themselves, do not cause palpitations,” says Morton Tavel, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, and author of “HEALTH TIPS, MYTHS, AND TRICKS: A Physician’s Advice.”
“However, if low iron levels are associated with anemia, as they often are, the resulting fewer red blood cell levels carry less oxygen.
“Therefore, in attempting to sustain adequate oxygenation of all the vital organs, this may result in a rapid heart rate and the sensation of palpitations when one exerts him/herself, even at relatively low levels.”
Definition of Anemia
Anemia is when there are not enough red blood cells in a person’s circulation to deliver optimal oxygen to the body’s cells.
Common Symptoms of Anemia
Fatigue and weakness are common symptoms.
In addition to an irregular heartbeat, other symptoms of anemia include pale skin, a feeling of being lightheaded, dizziness, chest pain, headache and cold hands/feet.
Why do low iron levels result in fewer red blood cells?
The bone marrow needs iron, a naturally occurring metal, to produce hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin carries oxygen and is found in red blood cells.
Not enough hemoglobin means symptoms of anemia.
A blood test will determine if you have a low red blood cell count.
If so, your doctor will then seek out to find the cause and treatment.
In the meantime, your heart palpitations may also be caused by anxiety or even excessive caffeine intake.
Dr. Tavel’s medical research includes over 125 publications, editorials and book reviews in peer-reviewed national medical journals. He was formerly director of the cardiac rehabilitation program at St. Vincent Hospital in Indiana. mortontavel.com
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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