Heart palpitations and headaches can occur together due to factors such as low blood pressure, dehydration, and diet. Some conditions may require treatment, but in some cases the symptoms can pass on their own.
Heart palpitations are heartbeats that are more noticeable. For example, they can cause a pounding or fluttering feeling.
Headaches cause pain in the head, face, or neck.
Heart palpitations and headaches can occur together. This article will discuss several possible causes of this and how to treat them.
Some medications, including vasodilators and the calcium channel blocker nifedipine, can cause both headaches and heart palpitations as side effects.
Anyone who experiences these side effects from taking medications can talk with their doctor about trying other approaches.
Dehydration occurs when the body does not contain enough fluids or water, which it needs to function well.
Water is essential for bodily cells to function correctly. The body loses water through breathing, sweating, and urinating. When levels drop too low, however, it causes feelings of thirst.
Dehydration can cause a person to experience both heart palpitations and headaches.
Staying dehydrated can also cause other symptoms, including:
- a decrease in the volume of urine
- dark urine
- a dry mouth
- tiredness
- dizziness
- weakness
- an increased heart rate
- dry skin
- no sweating
- fever
- loss of consciousness
Treatment
Treatment for dehydration involves replacing fluids, as well as identifying the cause of the fluid loss.
Consuming water will treat most cases of dehydration. In
Consuming caffeine or alcohol can cause headaches and heart palpitations.
Some people will experience these effects with lower dosages than others, depending on their genetics and tolerance.
Caffeine
One
However, caffeine can actually help relieve headaches, instead of causing them. Indeed, the American Migraine Foundation state that with occasional use, caffeine can help provide headache relief.
If a person uses caffeine daily, however, they may develop a tolerance to it. This can cause a person to become dependent and potentially lead to caffeine withdrawal.
Symptoms of withdrawal can include:
- fatigue
- difficulty concentrating
- headaches
- nausea
- depressed mood
- tremors
Learn more about caffeine withdrawal here.
Caffeine withdrawal can also lead to anxiety, which, in turn, can cause headaches and heart palpitations.
Alcohol
According to the
Like caffeine withdrawal, alcohol hangovers can lead to feelings of anxiety, which can result in heart palpitations and headaches.
Treatment
Moderating caffeine and alcohol intake can help moderate these effects.
If a person has a hangover, they can help ease the symptoms by:
- drinking water
- eating nutritious foods, such as fruit
- eating bland foods
- resting
- taking over-the-counter medications
If a person finds that they are becoming dependent on alcohol, they should try to seek help.
Learn more about the mental health resources available for alcohol use disorder here.
Anxiety disorder is a common mental health condition that
Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms.
According to Mind, a charity based in the United Kingdom, physical symptoms of anxiety may include:
- heart palpitations
- headaches
- pins and needles
- a churning sensation in the stomach
- fast breathing
- sweating and hot flashes
- nausea
- backaches and other aches and pains
- lightheadedness
- changes in sex drive
Anxiety can also lead to panic attacks. During a panic attack, physical symptoms can appear suddenly, including:
- a pounding heartbeat
- dizziness, feeling faint, or lightheadedness
- feeling either very hot or cold
- nausea
- chest pain
- difficulty breathing
- abdominal pain
Treatment
The symptoms of anxiety and panic can be frightening, but it is important to remember that the physical symptoms will pass.
In the meantime, during a panic attack, a person can try:
- focusing on their breathing
- stamping on the spot to help control their breathing
- focusing on the senses, such as touching something soft, or focusing on the flavor of a piece of gum or candy
- using grounding techniques, such as focusing on the sounds around them, breathing slowly, or wrapping themselves in a blanket
Treatments for anxiety and panic disorders can include a combination of medications and psychotherapy.
Learn more about the treatment options for anxiety disorders here.
Tissues around the body require oxygen to function correctly. Anemia is a blood disorder wherein the body lacks functioning red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body.
Alongside headaches and rapid or irregular heartbeats, anemia can cause:
- tiredness
- weakness
- shortness of breath
- cold hands or feet
- chest pain
- yellowing of the skin
Treatment
People with anemia may lack iron due to blood loss or an unhealthful diet. In these cases, increasing iron in the diet will usually be enough to treat anemia.
Chronic disease and other causes of anemia may require different treatments, however. For example, doctors may treat the underlying condition with medications or blood transfusions.
Blood pressure refers to the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries.
When a blood pressure reading is below
Although many people do not have symptoms of low blood pressure, a person may experience headache and heart palpitations, alongside:
- lightheadedness
- confusion
- blurry vision
- weakness
- tiredness
- back pain
- nausea
Treatment
Treatment will typically include making changes to a person’s diet and medications, as well as potentially wearing compression stockings to help improve blood circulation and increase blood pressure.
Headaches and heart palpitations that occur after eating could be a result of drinking caffeine or alcohol with the meal.
Some people are vulnerable to headaches or migraine episodes after eating.
For example, people with low blood sugar levels can experience reactive hypoglycemia. This occurs when a sudden spike in blood sugar levels after eating causes symptoms such as headaches.
Food allergies can also cause headaches or migraine episodes.
Headaches and heart palpitations alongside fatigue could be symptoms of anemia. In other cases, this may be due to intense bouts of exercise.
In rare cases, exercise can cause a migraine headache. The headache may occur alongside heart palpitations and tiredness from the exercise.
Some common causes of headaches and heart palpitations, such as dehydration or diet, may not require medical treatment. Making certain lifestyle adjustments should help prevent these symptoms in the future.
People who regularly experience these symptoms may wish to see a doctor. They could be symptoms of an underlying health condition, such as anemia. Not all conditions will require treatment, however.
A person should contact a doctor immediately if other severe symptoms, such as chest pain, occur.
Headaches and heart palpitations are common symptoms of several conditions, such as anxiety disorders, low blood pressure, and dehydration. They can occur together in some cases.
Although these symptoms do not always require treatment, it may be worth seeing a doctor for persistent cases that are not the result of diet or dehydration.
A person should look out for other symptoms, such as fatigue, that could indicate an underlying condition. They should also seek help if these symptoms occur alongside chest pain.