Are there any non-medicinal methods to stop tachycardia?

[jonaz]

Are there any methods to stop tachycardia
other than the administering of drugs that slow down the heartrate?

[ireneo]

I never gave it much thought. I just know the upper abdomen tightens and I feel pressure around the diaphragm area. That would put the pressure fairly low then. I think the vagus nerve runs along the esophagus, not just in one little spot like finding the thyroid or a particular lymph node.

[jonaz]

Yes that was a typing mistake, obviously. :p

If you blow the air out while "holding" it, you can choose where you want the air to push against. Where exactly you will "hold" it.

You can push it against the upper throat - lower throat - upper chest - lower chest - etc.
Shouldn't we aim to push against the vagus nerve? If so that is where?

In the middle of the lower chest I think ?
Behind the esophagus entering the stomache?

[ireneo]

I do believe I said hold your breath for 10 seconds, not minutes. If you did 10 minutes, you wouldn't have to worry about anything because you'd be unconscious. The 10 minute comment was related to having tachy that long before trying the valsalva. If you can do valsalva within the first few minutes, it's more likely to stop the tachy.

It's a little hard to describe but you take a breath and it's almost like a mild grunt (no noise) or like you're trying to blow the air out but you're stopping it at the same time. You'll feel your abdominal muscles contract as you do this.

[jonaz]

So holding breath for 10mins is enough
or should one push the breath against the stomache in an attempt to hit the vagus nerve? If so for how long?

[ireneo]

For sudden bursts of tachy I've used the valsalva maneuver for decades. If my tachy doesn't want to kick back to normal within a minute or two I take a deep breath, hold it and then bear down as if having a BM. I hold it for about 10 seconds and then slowly release my breath. Yes, I can feel my heart thump and flop a bit but it will then drop back to a normal rate. I found if I suddenly release my breath, the rate will pop back up into tachy. Also if I wait too long (say 10 minutes) to do the valsalva, it's not as successful. If it doesn't work the first time, try it again. But most of the time valsalva will work quite well.

Some people also try bending over or splashing icy cold water on their face. For me the valsalva is more discreet and comfortable. Brrrr.

[ptadvoc8]

Correction on the above -- "Vagal" should read as Valsalva" -- it is thought to affect vagal nerve tone, but is actually called a Valsalva manuever!

[ptadvoc8]

Depending on what is causing the tachycardia and what type of rhythm you are in, if the bouts are episodic (rather than a continuous tachycardia), a maneuver called "Vagal" may sometimes help or even stop certain types of episodes. I spent over 35 years consistently controlling episodes of SVT caused by WPW in this way. However, BEFORE you start doing it, check in with your cardiologist as there are rare occasions when doing the vagal maneuver is NOT a good idea and it will not work for all types of tachycardia.

There is also very good evidence that consistent practice of meditation and deep breathing can really help with chronic as well as episodic tachycardia. However, there seem to be many types of tachycardia that require either continuous meds to control the rate or emergency administration of meds to stop arrhythmia episodes.

Some people also report use of vitamins, minerals and supplements help them, but again this is all based on individual variation and should be checked with your doctor before trying them.

[jonaz]

I've read that slowing down the breath helps,
but does this not eventually lead to low oxygen level - which requires the heart to pump faster?