Having a pulse is the primary sign that a person is alive and breathing. That’s the first thing we check when a person loses consciousness.

However, pulse rate is not constant all the time. It can become really fast, usually when we are excited about something or it can be slower than normal. All these changes in the heart rate are actually warning health signs. We shouldn’t take them for granted as they are often an indicator of some health problems.

Those of you who experience frequent changes in heartbeat, can measure it on your own or by using a pulse oximeter. If you don’t know what a pulse oximeter is, you can get information on the following link: http://www.pittsburghhealthcarereport.com/what-is-pulse-oximetry/.

Let’s learn about the changes in our pulse rate.

Normal pulse

Normal heart rate is the one we have when we are resting and not doing any physical activity. This rate is changeable as people grow older. The younger you are the faster your heartbeat. But let’s say that the normal rate should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute.

A lot of factors influence on our normal heart rate such as genetics, regular exercise, stress, taking medicine, temperature of the body, having a cold etc. Changes can also be caused by consuming alcohol, caffeine or smoking cigarettes.

 

It’s completely normal for the pulse to vary due to these everyday factors, but if the change results from none of the above-mentioned reasons, there might be a bigger problem.

Irregular pulse

If your heart is beating in a normal pace, but you feel inconsistencies in its rhythm or it skips some beats, this might indicate an arrhythmia. This heart condition is harmless in most of the cases, depending on the level of abnormality of your heartbeat.

It is mostly caused by excessiveness in alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine or drug consumption.  High blood pressure and mental stress are common inducers as well. Apart from the pulse, other symptoms which can indicate arrhythmia are tiredness, feeling dizzy, being short of breath, having difficulties while doing a physical activity etc.

Fast Heartbeat

The fast beating of the heart is widely known as tachycardia, but only when it happens out of the ordinary situations such as exercise, excitement or stress. In situations of tachycardia, the heart beats more than 100 times in a minute, which can sometimes accelerate to about 300 times per minute.

These periods of tachycardia are not dangerous if they happen rarely and last shortly. However, if they happen more frequently and last for a longer period of time, it might lead do more serious heart problems.

Tachycardia can also be diagnosed in different types depending on the level of threat to the organism. Click here to learn more about the causes, symptoms, types and tests for tachycardia.

Slow Heartbeat

If your heart is beating very slowly, it might be a sign of bradycardia, the medical name for slow heartbeat. When your pulse rate is below 60 beats in a minute you are likely to have bradycardia.

A lot of people are not bothered by this condition and don’t feel any symptoms. However, for some people it can be a serious problem as the heart doesn’t pump enough blood, required for normal function of our organism.

There is a worse variant than bradycardia. This happens when you can barely feel your pulse or not feel it at all. It happens in a situation of extreme shock which slows down the process of transporting blood to the main organs. It usually manifests with unconsciousness and extreme shortness of breath.

The solution is to be immediately taken to an emergency room or a hospital, as this can lead to more serious heart complications in the future.

Wrap Up

By reading this article we can realize that something as simple as our pulse can prove to be a great indicator of health problems.

Whenever you feel a change in the rhythm or speed of your pulse, you should measure it with the help of your fingers or more precisely with an oximeter.

It will just take a little of your time, but it might save your health!