How Long Before Prediabetes Turns into Type 2 Diabetes?
Been just diagnosed with prediabetes and are fearfully waiting—or calmly wondering—how long before you have type 2 diabetes? (more…)
Niaspan vs. B3 Supplement for Coronary Artery Plaque Reversal
Is Niaspan really more effective than a B3 supplement for coronary plaque reversal or is this the pharma industry’s way to a profit stream? (more…)
A1C of 5.9: What Exactly Does this Mean for Diabetes?
Beware if your A1C came back as 5.9.
Though this doesn’t mean (yet) that you have diabetes, it means that type 2 diabetes is rapping hard on your door and you’d better up the ante on your security system. (more…)
Irregular Heartbeat vs. Twitching Muscle in Chest: Comparison
This is about how to tell the difference between an irregular heartbeat and a twitching muscle in your chest.
When a muscle twitches (fasciculates), it can be very rhythmic, kind of like the beat of a drum.
However, it can also be irregular, with an erratic nature.
If this erratic or irregular nature occurs in a muscle that’s located in your chest, you’ll feel it just as if you were feeling the erratic fasciculations of an eyelid or elsewhere such as in your butt, the back of your upper leg or your calves.
An irregular heartbeat can’t always be felt, which is why sometimes, a person is diagnosed with arrhythmia despite not feeling anything wrong with their heart rhythm.
Irregular Heartbeat OR Twitching Muscle in the Chest?
“Irregular heartbeats, also known as arrhythmias, can feel like a flutter in the center of the chest and are quite common,” says J. Mark Anderson, MD, DABFM, of Executive Medicine of Texas and who is board certified in family medicine.
Recently I experienced twitching in a chest muscle – that came several hours after a chest workout at the gym.
I was at my computer when it began. And I have to admit, it made me think of my heartbeat becoming irregular.
So I took my pulse at the radial artery. While I was feeling my pulse, I was also feeling the mild thumping in my chest.
Shutterstock/caimacanul
THEY DID NOT SYNCH. And that’s one of the key ways to tell the difference between an irregular heartbeat and a twitching muscle in the chest.
- They totally did NOT match up.
- I clearly felt two distinct, separate entities.
- My pulse was steady and in a normal range.
- Simultaneously I felt the fasciculations, which were a different sensation, not at all in tune with the pulse.
But there’s more you can do to differentiate between an irregular heart rhythm and a simple muscle twitch.
LOOK at your chest where you feel the fasciculations. I did. I actually saw the thumping beneath the skin. This was further confirmation of what was actually happening.
“In many instances, a twitching chest muscle can be seen by the patient or observed by others,” says Dr. Anderson.
“Much like a twitching eyelid, a twitching muscle in the chest is not serious. It can be a result of stress, either physical or mental.”
Now if you don’t see any movement under your skin, do not panic.
First of all, hold a magnifying mirror beneath the area (you may need to tinker with the position to get the right angle for viewing).
The mirror that works best is one of those circular three and a half inch diameter ones that you can get at Walmart and I’m sure many other retailers.
They come in 5x, 10x and even 20x magnification. You will see a LOT with a 20x mirror.
If you still don’t see anything, this does not mean there’s no twitching.
“Twitching in a chest muscle feels much different than an irregular heartbeat,” says Dr. Anderson.
“Instead of feeling as if it’s coming from deep within the chest, it will feel more superficial.”
So go back to taking your pulse and noting that what your fingers are detecting in your wrist does not synch up with what you’re feeling under your chest.
You may also feel for your pulse at your neck.
The twitching may or may not persist. And by crazy chance, you may have an arrhythmia that you don’t feel.
“Sometimes people with arrhythmias will have the urge to cough,” says Dr. Anderson. “Coughing can help the heart go back to its regular rhythm.”
If you have a gut feeling that something’s wrong with your heart, see a cardiologist who will listen with a stethoscope and have a 12 point EKG taken to see if there are any abnormalities in the rhythm.
Keep in mind that worrying about this can induce muscle twitching!
Dr. Anderson explains, “Arrhythmias are often caused by stress or caffeine, but some arrhythmias happen with no identifiable cause.
“Arrhythmias that last longer than a few seconds or that are accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, fatigue or shortness of breath should be treated as a medical emergency.”
Dr. Anderson is coauthor of the award-winning book, “Stay Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health,” and host of the nationally syndicated Staying Young Show which goes to podcast as Staying Young Show 2.0.
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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Top image: Shutterstock/Master1305
Low Blood Pressure but Fast Heart Rate: Is This Okay?
Your blood pressure is impressive: always low, but dang, your baseline heart rate is always fast, like in the 90’s.
“Every body is different; however, higher resting heart rates can be an indication of underlying conditions such as hyperthyroidism, dehydration, the effects of drugs/medications (like caffeine), stress and high levels of stress hormones, or even deconditioning (meaning you’re out of shape),” explains Stacy Mitchell Doyle, MD, resident physician of FoodTherapyMD and long-time advocate of plant-based nutritional protocols.
Additional Causes of Baseline Fast Pulse
• Overtraining in athletes or fitness enthusiasts
• Menopausal/postmenopausal hormonal fluctuations
Though these aforementioned causes can be treated, the issue is the effect that a chronically fast pulse has on the heart.
Low blood pressure does not cancel out this effect.
Though historically, a “normal” pulse was defined as between 60 and 100 beats per minute, that was before the studies began coming out that linked a rapid resting heart rate with several serious conditions.
“Higher heart rates mean your heart is working harder to pump blood, and over time, higher resting heart rates have been associated with higher incidence of heart disease, stroke and all-cause mortality,” says Dr. Doyle.
Yesterday’s “Normal” Is Today’s “Fast” 90’s
A study that came out in 2010 (Okin et al) found that heart rates exceeding 83 beats per minute were associated with a 55 percent greater risk of cardiovascular death and a 79 percent higher risk of all-cause mortality.
And high blood pressure, plus other cardiovascular risk factors, were adjusted for.
Thus, a chronically fast heart rate at rest is an independent risk factor for problems – even if you have consistently low blood pressure readings such as 105 over 68.
Solutions low blood pressure, 90’s
“If you find your heart rate is consistently high, but have a clean bill of health from your doctor, try more exercise and physical activity (which conditions your heart to work more effectively, meaning it pumps the same amount of blood with less beats),” urges Dr. Doyle.
Physical training will increase your heart’s ejection fraction: the amount of blood pumped out with each beat.
One of the most effective, if not the most effective, types of exercise to accomplish this, especially in people under 65, is interval training.
Dr. Doyle also says to “drink more water and stay hydrated, meditate and reduce stress, eliminate caffeine or any other stimulant, and eat those plant-based foods that supply you with phytonutrients and antioxidants that keep your heart and vessels healthy.”
FoodTherapyMD™ is the brainchild of Dr. Mitchell Doyle and recognizes that phytonutrients, the substances that make plant food so amazing, can be tailored to fight specific disease states.
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.
Top image: Freepik
Source: sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100812151640.htm fast resting pulse 90’s, low blood pressure
How Dangerous Is Blood Sugar in the 500’s? Organ Failure Possible
Just how dangerous is a blood sugar reading in the 500’s?
VERY.
“Blood sugar in the 500’s is dangerous, especially if it stays there for any significant period of time (like hours),” says Stacy Mitchell Doyle, MD, resident physician of FoodTherapyMD and long-time advocate of plant-based nutritional protocols. (more…)
Bleeding, Oozing Smelly Belly Button: Causes & Solutions
Eeuuugh! What could be causing your belly button to stink and be oozing and bleeding?
Could it be some form of cancer? (more…)
Can a Sinus Cold Cause only One Eye to Water ?
If you have a bad sinus congestion from a cold, what typically happens is that both eyes will be watery as a result.
Epiphora is the medical term for excessive watering of the eyes.
When only one eye is watery or tearing (regardless of cause), this is called unilateral epiphora. (more…)
Can a Cold or Flu Raise Blood Pressure?
While you’re lying in bed as sick as a dog with the flu and wondering if this is raising your blood pressure, you’re right.
The flu — even the common cold — can actually cause your blood pressure to go up.
But this doesn’t happen in every single case, however. It’s possible but not guaranteed.
“When you have a cold or flu, you may have an increased heart rate (especially if you have fever),” says Susan L. Besser, MD, with Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, and Diplomate American Board of Obesity Medicine and board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
“This could cause your blood pressure to elevate,” adds Dr. Besser. “Also, any stressful situation can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure.
“Lastly, some cold and flu medications have an ingredient (decongestant) that can raise your blood pressure.”
If you already have a hypertension diagnosis, you’ll want to avoid taking any cold or flu medications that contain decongestants.
For example, the cold medication Coricidin HBP does not contain a decongestant.
Why Might a Cold Medication Raise Blood Pressure?
Decongestants narrow blood vessels in the nose, subduing stuffiness.
At the same time, though, this constriction may affect other blood vessels, causing a rise in blood pressure.
There are other treatments for your cold or flu that will not raise blood pressure.
• Aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve headache or sore throat.
• Saline nasal spray to relieve stuffiness.
• Flush your nasal passages with a neti pot to loosen up gunk in your nose so you can blow it out more easily.
• Gargle with warm saltwater to relieve a cough or scratchy throat.
• Drink up: water, tea, juice, chicken broth or tomato soup, etc.
• If you have a portable humidifier, put it on wherever you are, and go to bed with it.
• Rest. The housework can wait.
If you have normal blood pressure, there is no reason for you to be worried over whether or not it will rise from your cold or flu.
This is the body’s way of helping get rid of the illness.
Dr. Besser provides comprehensive family care, treating common and acute primary conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Her ongoing approach allows her the opportunity to provide accurate and critical diagnoses of more complex conditions and disorders.
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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Top image: Shutterstock/tommaso79
Does Normal Blood Pressure Mean You Don’t Have Heart Disease?
Why Does the Diastolic Blood Pressure Vary So Much?
Your diastolic (the lower number) blood pressure just jumps around so much whenever you have a blood pressure reading.
One day it’s 80. Next day or even next hour it’s 68. A few days later it’s in the 70s. Meanwhile, the systolic (top number) value stays pretty much the same.
“That is normal,” says Susan L. Besser, MD, with Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, and Diplomate American Board of Obesity Medicine and board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
“Actually, all measurable bodily functions vary throughout the day depending on what you are doing, your hormones and other bodily functions, circadian cycle,” continues Dr. Besser.
“So, this variability is expected. A comparison might be your home thermostat — even though it is set for one temperature, the temperature in your home will vary during the day and night, depending on many factors (like the amount of sunshine, outside air temp, the number of people in the house, whether the oven is on and so on).”
Do not obsess or fixate on the variability of the diastolic or systolic number of your blood pressure readings.
What’s important is that both numbers are within the range for normal blood pressure.
What Is Normal Blood Pressure?
In late 2017 new guidelines were established by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg
Elevated: Systolic between 120-129; diastolic less than 80
Stage 1 hypertension: Systolic between 130-139 or diastolic between 80-89
Stage 2 hypertension: Systolic at least 140 or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg
For best results with a home blood pressure monitor, take the reading after you’ve been sitting calmly for at least 10 minutes.
A reading at a doctor’s office may reflect the so-called white coat syndrome, in which BP is elevated due to anxiety.
Increasing your consumption of raw vegetables and fruits, and reducing your intake of processed foods, will lower your baseline blood pressure.
So will structured exercise and quitting smoking.
Dr. Besser provides comprehensive family care, treating common and acute primary conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Her ongoing approach allows her the opportunity to provide accurate and critical diagnoses of more complex conditions and disorders.
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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