Hey, im 18 years old and ill be heading off to college soon. I hope this is the right place, finding an online place to ask questions about things such as this is hard to find...anyways, For years now I have been able to increase my heart rate at will. Not by running, or doing stressful activities, and not by thinking about something that would cause excitement or fear, or something along those lines...
It is a very strange sensation and hard for me to explain. Regardless as I have said I have been able to do this for years and I am still alive, so it doesnt appear to be anything bad, lol. I guess everyone has heard of people that can slow down their heart rates, even to the point of "Stopping" causing them to appear dead, which is cool in itself, but I have never heard of anyone speeding up there heart rate at will.
I do occasionally get horrible chest pain s though. They last for about an hour to and hour and a half. They are sharp pains usually in the right side of my chest...the best way I could describe it is that it feels like theres someone in there with a knife trying to dig there way out, haha it is not very pleasant, but i guess you get use to it after a few years of it, heh. Anywayz I usually get an "Attack" once every couple of months, and they are an extreme nuissance, I had one just a few months ago during first period of my study hall (im in highschool now).
My father is an anesthiologist and claims that it was just skeletal muscle spams, which was never would it felt like. That sounds to me like something that would happen during puberty when the body is getting significant boosts in size and mass and all that stuff, but im well past the obvious growth spurts and whatnot. And now that I still have them, he says that he will let me go see a doctor, but last time he said that too and kinda forgot, he doesnt think its anything serious, and I guess i dont either, or else i would probably be dead by now.
But anywayz I was just wondering if anyone here had any insightful information that could clue me in on what the heck is going on. Its a nuissance, and just plain wierd. Whether me making my heart beat faster and my pains have a relationship, i dont know, i dont think so because the pains are to the right of my heart.
Oh yeah, since we are talking about my chest, I guess it would also be helpful to say that I am a guy. I guess anatomy would definately affect certain pains and what causes them. Anywayz, thanks for reading! and I hope everyone has a good summer
Hi ICANSEEYOU7687,
What a great time in your life. Have you choosen a college yet? Stabbing pains are not usually associated with the heart from what I have read. Also you are very young to have a heart problem unless it is something genetic and structural. Any history in your family, including sudden death in cousins? If not, it is highly unlikely to be heart. However a doctor's visit would help explain everything especially since you are going off to college in a few month.
Stabbing pain is usually associated with a muscle thing and it doesn't matter the age. Adults can definatly have this problem too. I heard one person tell me that he had them when he would get dehydrated. ??
People who practice biofeedback are trained to control their heartrate, blood pressue, muscle tension... They usually use it to lower these things. However it makes sense that if you can control it , you can make it go down OR UP. It sounds like you are simply adept at this and don't need much training to become an expert. I don't think I would suggest you purposely make these things increase though. lol. Take care and God Bless
What a great time in your life. Have you choosen a college yet? Stabbing pains are not usually associated with the heart from what I have read. Also you are very young to have a heart problem unless it is something genetic and structural. Any history in your family, including sudden death in cousins? If not, it is highly unlikely to be heart. However a doctor's visit would help explain everything especially since you are going off to college in a few month.
Stabbing pain is usually associated with a muscle thing and it doesn't matter the age. Adults can definatly have this problem too. I heard one person tell me that he had them when he would get dehydrated. ??
People who practice biofeedback are trained to control their heartrate, blood pressue, muscle tension... They usually use it to lower these things. However it makes sense that if you can control it , you can make it go down OR UP. It sounds like you are simply adept at this and don't need much training to become an expert. I don't think I would suggest you purposely make these things increase though. lol. Take care and God Bless
Hi ICANSEEYOU7687, Welcome to Healing Well forum. You are more than welcome to post any questions you may have here...that is what we are for.
As Hopes said there are some people who can control their heart rates. Anxiety can increase your heart rate also. I have not ever heart of anyone being able to stop their heart though. Anyway, if you are indeed having chest pain then it should be checked out to rule out any problems and set your mind at ease.
Good luck in college....take care.
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No, i've never heard of anyone in my family suddenly dying of anything, atleast not to my knowledge. It has become more of a habbit now, but anyways back to the chest pains.
When they do occur, its not just pains, it becomes hard to swallow sometimes, and I have to wait for that pain to go away before I can breathe again. The pains come at intervals, usually lasting 4 or 5 seconds with a few second reprieves. Very odd and annoying. But i do want to go see a doctor, if n othing else then to just find out what it is.
And I start at Georgia Tech in june, im very excited, it was where I wanted to go.
thanks everyone, and have a good easter
When they do occur, its not just pains, it becomes hard to swallow sometimes, and I have to wait for that pain to go away before I can breathe again. The pains come at intervals, usually lasting 4 or 5 seconds with a few second reprieves. Very odd and annoying. But i do want to go see a doctor, if n othing else then to just find out what it is.
And I start at Georgia Tech in june, im very excited, it was where I wanted to go.
thanks everyone, and have a good easter
Wow!! Georgia Tech, That's Great!!! Your parents must be so proud of you. I am sure that the episodes you are explaining are quite bothersome. With your father being an anesthesiologist I think it is odd that he wouldn't suggest having these pains looked into further. Have you explained this to him in detail how you are feeling?
Not really, but they have seen me have them. Clutching my chest, holding my breath and occasionally shouting out the occasional choice word did grab their attention. But he insisted that it was just skeletal muscle spams. I actually got to the point of being so use to them that I would just be quiet about them and just sit through them, and not bother anyone about them. I think he may have been under the impression that I had stopped having them. And I recently told him I had one not to long ago and he looked a bit shocked, thinking that I was done with them but in reality he just never saw me having them.
But I do need to get them checked out. I am a bit worried though that when I go they will find nothing. Like right now I feel absolutely normal, and it feels to me like they would only find something during an "episode". But i guess it is better to be safe then sorry.
And thanks! They are proud of me, just as I am proud of myself, Ga Tech is a great school...and tough, I just hope ill be able to make it and graduate!
But I do need to get them checked out. I am a bit worried though that when I go they will find nothing. Like right now I feel absolutely normal, and it feels to me like they would only find something during an "episode". But i guess it is better to be safe then sorry.
And thanks! They are proud of me, just as I am proud of myself, Ga Tech is a great school...and tough, I just hope ill be able to make it and graduate!
I find that posture in a computer chair is my biggest problem with regard to muscle aches/pains/cramps. I have a chair here that has the left arm rest slighty, elevated? And so it throws off my librium and causes my left arm to feel kind of whacked out (cramped, stinging, numb sometimes). Maybe you need to think about that :)
While the pains are very random and strange, I make a habbit of staying in shape...well stayin fit enough to stay healthy, i dont overdue it, lol. I also try to stay stretched as much as possible. I dont think I spent enough time on the computer that an uncomfortable chair would cause intense pains in my chest
:D
:D
I would say that any kind of chest pain that you have had or continue to have needs to be checked out by a physician. Especially if it continues.
I Have the Same thing Pains and everthing that happens to me too........ Except when I have my pains my chest gets really weighted and tight feeling...... And makes me feel like I cant breath the pains are sharp Actually I just had one of those attacks probably about five minutes ago and I checked my blood pressure because I felt like I was going to pass out my pressure was good but my pulse was a little low I think It was 68........ Im 18 too though Ive been to the doctor several times about it and they tell me the same thing that its just muscle spasms and its nothing to worry about Ive even been told that it was caused by stress, Ive been told that I might have hyperventilation syndrom and I was told to breath in a bag for five minutes when my pains and chest tightness came on me........................................
tryed all those and none of those worked and every time I go to the doctors they allways try to put it off giving me the simplest explination of what they can think of it being I guess Like you I Too have been plauged by these pains and had these pains for a couple of years I stay in shape also I am a MALE I actually use to box so that should tell you how well I am in shape when I work out and my heart rate starts to get really high...... I ride a bike..... I get pains in my chest and in my neck I thought my case was nothing that maybe it was just all in my head or something untill I seen this guys symptoms......... Oh I forgot on they also told me its probably gas and I shouldnt worry.........
Well If you ever get an answer please let me know because im going to go get checked for the same thing!!!
If anyone knows whats wrong with me please let me know!!!
Thanks.................................
Hi DSMER, Welcome to Healing Well forum, we are happy to have you join us here. What you described can be many things such as acid reflux or anxiety just to name a few. There are actually several studies out that show breathing into a paper bag is not good for you as in you breath out you release carbon monoxide so when you go to take that next breath from that paper bag your breathing that carbon monoxide back into your body. Not very safe at all.
Acid reflux and GERD often gets misdiagnosed or mistaken for heart problems. It often feels the same and is difficult for someone to tell the difference between the two. If you drink, smoke or eat alot of spicy foods you may want to cut these out of your diet for a few weeks and see how you do. If your symptoms dont go away or have at least gotten somewhat better then you have eleminated one issue here.
Please do keep us posted, updated on how your doing and if these symptoms continue then do seek medical help. Any and all chest pain should be followed up by a medical professional. Take care
Elisha
Co~Mod: Depression
Moderator: Heart & Cardiovascular Disease
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