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Have Palpitations, Bulging Veins In Hands And Arm, Whooshing Feeling. What Is Causing This?
Question: Hi there, I have been having palpitations for quite a while now but recently I have noticed that my veins in my hands & up my arm are bulging. I get a whooshing feeling which is presume is the palpitation & look at my hands and can actually see them starting to bulge! This is happening at different times in the day, I can be busy or resting. What could be causing this?
Hi XXXXXX,
Thanks for posting your query.
You should consult with Physician/ cardiologist and get your ECG and 2 D echo.
Heart palpitations may be due to cardiac problem or due to systemic illness.
Cardiac problem may be arrhythmias or structural problem. Palpitations may be due to AV block/ atrial fibrillation/ VPC's/ APC's/ Atrial Flutter. Very effective treatment is available and you may remain asymptomatic after taking these medicines.
If these cardiac investigations have some doubt then you can go for electro-physiological studies of heart.
If your ECG is normal then systemic cause should be searched out.
Blood investigations are thyroid profile, serum electrolytes, complete blood count, renal function test.
Veins are visible but never pulsatile, this is the basic difference between veins and artery.
Pulsation is a feature of artery not veins.
Veins are pulsatile only when arteries are connected with veins by fistula.
I think you are over conscious regarding your visible veins. You should take proper consultation with physician / cardiologist.
Put your query if you have.
Best regards,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava
Thanks for posting your query.
You should consult with Physician/ cardiologist and get your ECG and 2 D echo.
Heart palpitations may be due to cardiac problem or due to systemic illness.
Cardiac problem may be arrhythmias or structural problem. Palpitations may be due to AV block/ atrial fibrillation/ VPC's/ APC's/ Atrial Flutter. Very effective treatment is available and you may remain asymptomatic after taking these medicines.
If these cardiac investigations have some doubt then you can go for electro-physiological studies of heart.
If your ECG is normal then systemic cause should be searched out.
Blood investigations are thyroid profile, serum electrolytes, complete blood count, renal function test.
Veins are visible but never pulsatile, this is the basic difference between veins and artery.
Pulsation is a feature of artery not veins.
Veins are pulsatile only when arteries are connected with veins by fistula.
I think you are over conscious regarding your visible veins. You should take proper consultation with physician / cardiologist.
Put your query if you have.
Best regards,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi again, sorry to sound so vague but it might be the arteries in my hands that bulge and not my veins. I am booked in with a cardiologist referred through my GP who is going to do a 24 hour ECG and take it from there. I have had all the blood test done through my GP & she said they all looked good.
I am just worrying that it is something serious because of my family history of heart problems. I also have 2 of my brothers who have had strange experiences with their hearts. One brother had some sort of heart irregularity but they couldn't get to the bottom of it, he even went to a hospital in London for investigations and they couldn't find the cause of it. Another Brother has a very fast heart rate & also palpitations but he has high blood pressure. So there is a lot of links with heart problems in our family!
I do look after myself, have always kept my weight down, never smoked, drink only moderately, exercise etc.
Am I worrying unnecessarily?
I am just worrying that it is something serious because of my family history of heart problems. I also have 2 of my brothers who have had strange experiences with their hearts. One brother had some sort of heart irregularity but they couldn't get to the bottom of it, he even went to a hospital in London for investigations and they couldn't find the cause of it. Another Brother has a very fast heart rate & also palpitations but he has high blood pressure. So there is a lot of links with heart problems in our family!
I do look after myself, have always kept my weight down, never smoked, drink only moderately, exercise etc.
Am I worrying unnecessarily?
Hi,
Its better to consult with cardiologist for your problem.
You have positive family history so worry is obvious.
Get well soon & all the best.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava
Its better to consult with cardiologist for your problem.
You have positive family history so worry is obvious.
Get well soon & all the best.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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