chest vibration

[tanns]

Last night I had a vibration thing happen in my chest off and on for about 2 hours.  I am almost positive that my pulse was normal just fast (100-110).  It was scary but I didn't panic and my breathing stayed normal.  I have had a panic attack before (full on heart attack thinking kind) and this wasn't like that.  I was just wondering if the heart can be spasming and yet not be arrythmic.  Does that make sense?  Is an anxiety attack and a panic attack the same thing?  (I did post on the anxiety forum too, I just feel like it is a heart related issue so I thought I'd try it here too!!)

I have mentioned that I am heading to Mayo and I would like to go up there with only the relevant chest related issues and although I FEEL like last night was one, I really honestly don't know anymore.

Thanks you all and I hope you have a great weekend.

[T Gal]

Hello

My heart seems to spasm too.  For me, it beats normally and then there is a gurgle that seems to interrupt the beat temporarily.  It is really annoying.  I've been to a cardiologist and he assures me my heart is fine.  I just wish I could get it to stop.  I never know when to expect it to happen.  Just so you know you are not alone!

[tanns]

Okay, I know I sound a little paranoid but, well...I am.  The vibration thing happened again this afternoon.  I was resting (I am lucky to be hit with ear infection, sore throat and now--thanks to my littles---PINK EYE!!!) and had just dozed off when I felt the shaking start.  I put my hand on my left chest area, like you do when you are "pledging allegiance" and could feel and see a pretty rough shaking.  I tried to feel my pulse at the wrist and I think it was normal.   It happened two more times after that.  The last time I checked my pulse at the neck and I couldn't tell what was happening because I think I was getting a little panic-y.  Very, very scary.

Can my heart just start an eratic beating like that--out of the blue?  I know the heart is buried deep under the ribs, cartiliage and etc but is it  possible to visualize it (any shaking it is doing)  on the surface?  This is crazy I know but something weird is happening.

Does anyone have any insight?

[CollegeGirl143]

You know, i have felt something similar a few times! Ive felt it in my chest, in my legs and in my arms, and its muscle spasms brought on by dehydration usually.. I can put my hand on the area and feel the muscle vibrating..Its a VERY weird sensation! Does this sound like you?

[tanns]

I am probably very dehydrated today.  Since I have been sick I've not really had my usual huge amount of water.  It seems to only come on at night though, until today when I was napping during the day.  I would like to think it is a muscle spasm (that sure makes the panic feeling less...thanks!!!) but it seems to be only on the left side of my chest.  Actually, now that I think about it, if I am startled awake (this afternoon it was one of those awake jerk things that woke me up) it seems to happen.  Tonight I was watching a movie with my little boy and I dozed off and he said something and it startled me and it happened.  hmmmmmm....I never realized that until I started typing this reply.  But it doesn't seem to be adrenaline either---my pulse does get faster but seems normal.  Oh yeah, my chest aches after a few of them.  Could that be sore muscles?  Also, can any type of arrythmia cause this type of feeling?

Wow, thank you so much for your reply, I think it really help with the panic feeling I was having.  I have been kind of dreading going to sleep because I was afraid it would happen again.  Gee, can you say classic panic/anxiety disorder???  lol   Mayo is going to kick me right out on my keister!!!

Thanks you so very much.

[CollegeGirl143]

you're welcome! I just wish i could make you feel better.. i know how much of a drain the anxiety can be!  

I have an arrhythmia, but ive never had a vibration sensation in my chest before with it, but that doesnt mean its not possible. it is encouraging however that your pulse seems to stay the same, thats a very good sign, its also a good sign you arent really experiencing much tachycardia (110 is nothin to sweat).. I hope you have good luck at mayo ! Anything that you feel is heart related you should mention to them.. Dont hold anything back for fear of sounding anxious or overly concerned! Let us know how things go!

[arthur]

You seem to be describing a myoclonus, that is, a vibrating muscle.  The problem is, we don't know where it is.  The ones occurring in the chest, may be coming from the diaphragm.  Their origins are obscure, as they are often due to an insult to the phrenic nerve system.  If your pulse is normal while the vibration occurs, it's likely not your heart.  Check out diaphragmatic myoclonus on the web...horses typically are afflicted after vigorous exercise, so there's lots of references to horses.  That fact that a startle gets it going for a while can be due to an adrenaline surge, which is in keeping with a muscular problem.  Anxiety will make it worse.  Your should be able to track it down with the right kind of MD (specializing in neuromuscular disorders), or it might go away on its own (as the neural insult gets repaired).  Magnesium deficiency has been implicated (at least in horses).

Good luck,

-Arthur

[LvdByGod]

i would get another cardio opinion and not risk it. if it happens on and off perhaps it wasn't happening when you got it checked with the doc the first time... go to ER

[LvdByGod]

i would get another cardio opinion and not risk it. if it happens on and off perhaps it wasn't happening when you got it checked with the doc the first time... go to ER next time it happens and try to see what is going on while its happening... thats the only way to make sure you are ok...

my hubby gets these and just had a massive heart attack...

[KarlUp]

I get chest vibration too. It starts when I go to sleep, and it sometimes wakes me back up. I started to fall asleep in a chair one time, and it started just as my head began to nod. I wake up with it constantly. It stops as soon as I become fully awake, and start moving around. During these attacks, my pulse is always normal. I thought it was atrial flutter or fibrillation, but after a sleep study, echocardiogram, nuclear cardio stress test, two Holter monitors, and two event monitors, nothing but a couple of benign PVCs showed up. Evidently my heart is fine, but I would sure like to know what the vibration is.

[mrtalent]

Six years ago, I had a mild heart attack and had 2 stents installed. I had restenosis two months later and had an angioplasty at that time. After that (for a month or so), I occasionally would get a vibration in my chest during the day. I had an ECG while it was happening, but it showed nothing unusual. Eventually, the vibrations stopped. I have had a few cardiolite stress tests over the years and all show there is no evidence I ever had a heart attack. Six weeks ago I was drinking a very cold frozen beverage and felt like I froze my esophagus. I went into atrial fibrillation a few minutes later and drove to the emergency room. It converted on its own (heart returned to normal sinus rhythm) before I could be given medication (the episode lasted about 2 hours), so they sent me home. A few days later my chest would vibrate any time I laid on my stomach, or on my left side. I can stop most of the vibration by lying on my back, or getting out of bed. I had another echo and cardiolite stress test and it looks like my heart is fine. At this time, I wake up a couple times a night with my chest vibrating. My heartbeat is fine and I have not had another atrial fibrillation episode, but I too wish I knew what the deal is with this vibration. It certainly appears to be related to events that happened to my heart, yet tests show my heart is fine.

[PikaPika88]

Not many tests would show that vibrations are.....  The first came vibration on my chest, I told my cardio when I had my pacemaker checked.  He said it was A-Fib.  Later I have it in my legs and hands.  They discovered I got diabetes type II.  Now I got that "express train" like in my chest first thing in the morning when I open my eyes.  They said is normal, nothing wrong.  I also got that vibration in my chest after eating.  Dr said I didn't have A-Fib anymore.  It's just gone or disappeared by itself but the vibration is still there!  What is that?  My mum told me if the cholestrol is too high you get numb in the big toes but my diabetes dr said it won't have any sign if cholestrol is high or too high!

[Helen71]

This has been a fascinating forum. I have been dealing with the vibrations in the chest and the heart racing a little plus even some jerkiness for years. I have been Dx with MS but that is probably just another factor. I think the person who said it stems from the diaphram is probably correct. It is a muscle contraction thing that pushes up the stomach as well I think and starts the spams....I hate it. I get it almost every night and hate to go to sleep but it has been years. I take propanalol if my heart goes up too high and valium seems to settle the spasms .....but it takes some time...I seem to have myclonus with it which could be my MS just kicking in...who knows. I have had all the heart tests and I have no heart problems..

Brandee

[bubs102]

hi iv got this wierd vibrating in my chest, its doin my head in, its very annoying! i used to have wolf parkinsons white syndrome (a very irregular heart beat at certain times) but i had an ablation so i havent had any for years, iv had millions of ecgs after an they said my heart is fine now.

[dillywilly]

I never thought that I would find so many people with the same symptoms of vibrating!! I was thinking I was nuts! It has been happening to me off and on for the last year or so. I have a family hx of heart disease with my Brother (deceased), uncle and grandparent. I was dx'd in my early 20's with Mitral Valve Prolapse and was told not to worry about it. Then in my 30's was told I didn't have it. The vibrating occurs about 15-20 after I lie down for bed, or if I nap during the day, it doesn't appear to effect my heart rate and just feels like a vibrating cell phone in my chest.  It is unsettling and I usually get up and stretch and go back and lie down, I eventually fall asleep.  I have not had this checked out by a Physician yet, but I plan too.  Also, I take antidepressents and Lithium for bi-polar disorder, wonder if the med's can cause it?

[dubdub]

I had the vibrating chest for the first time last night, and it scared me so I looked it up and found this forum.  I have also had symptoms similar to others posting here, l like chest gurgling.  My heart also beats hard at times when I'm trying to sleep.  That gives me a desire to twitch and toss and turn to distract me from the loudness of my heart... which leads of course to no sleep.  When I went to the doc about it, he said it was stress, possible GI related and not to worry about it.  But the vibrating thing that happened last night freaked me out.  I wish there was a magic answer in the forum, but I haven't seen any.  I'm sure the doc will tell me again that it's stress (that seems to be the answer for everything), but I will certainly go if the vibrating continues.  I am 30 years old, not on any meds and have not been diagnosed with any disorder, plus the doc says my heart is normal (did an EKG).

[JJmale54]

I am having the vibrating chest, left side, using plavix and crestor.  Anyone with an answer?