# strong twitch in chest



## 19641 (Nov 19, 2005)

I'm a 34 yo male, 195 lbs, US Marine (fit). I have had no health problems to speak of. A couple of years I tried to quit chewing tobacco by means of nicorette. I noticed that after a couple of weeks I felt a weird flutter in my chest a couple of times a day. I stopped using the stuff but continued to chew tobacco (still do).Lately that flutter has increased dramatically. No pain at all, just a quick spasm right in the center of my chest. It kind of twitches and then releases. It happens very quickly. It doesn't increase with exercise and I don't feel tired or run down. I don't have radiating pain and my resting heart rate is usually around 50. So I just don't think the problem is my heart. It definitely feels like a muscle issue, not bubbles or gas (unless that can affect yo that way). Lately it happens about 20-30 times a day, and it's very disconcerting. It occupies a lot of my attention.I haven't been able to pick out what causes it, but it happens most after meals (especially spicey ones) and it also happens whe I have been using a lot of tobacco.Any thoughts? It's wearing on my mind.One thing I've noticed is how ofetn I belch. I sound like a truck driver who swallowed a keg of beer-- all day. Good thing I'm a Marine, or I'd be run out of any other work place. Thanks for your attention.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Some people do get a brief heart beat irregularity. It won't cause symptoms of a heart attack, but can feel like a flutter in the chest. Stimulants like nicotine tend to make that sort of thing worse, so it might be what is going on.In any case I would run this past the doctor to see what they think and see if there is anything you need to be tested for. If it is happening every day frequently they may want to put a monitor on you to see if it is your heart having a irregular beat, and which kind. Some are not very serious, others can be, and if the heart beats fine then you know it isn't it rather than guessing.K.


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## 23677 (Apr 29, 2005)

Kath, is there any chance it could be the esophagul valve spasming? Spicy food & tobacco juice may have that effect.As nicotine is toxic (specially in the digestive system) your body may be telling you it has had enough. My God, organic gardeners make a potent brew from cigarette butts to spray & kill bugs so you are really asking for trouble.


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## 16279 (Sep 3, 2005)

wagon,Give yourself a simulated treadmill stress test by jogging a mile in 10 minutes at the end of the day when your a little tired and the outside temperature has cooled down. See if you a little get discomfort symptoms like a dull pain in your back or chest. Check Linus Pauling web site for unclogging coronary arteriesif you flunk the stress test.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

It could be in the esophagus, but I'm not sure flutter is the usually description for that. Flutter is a pretty common descriptor of a heart doing a quick rhythm irregularity. Nicotine typically makes the heart thing worse, not sure about how it would effect GI spasm sorts of things.K.


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## 20820 (Aug 7, 2005)

WagonI get this too and I am pretty sure that it is indigestion. I get the flutter - which I feel is the wind in there fluttering around for want of a better word) and then a little while later, i will burp. I know, it is really disconcering isn't it? Sometimes, I get it in a stronger form like a sudden 'thump' or 'thud' that stops me in my tracks and then a little later, I burp.I am pretty sure that this is what the problem is with you (as long as you are fit and have no heart problems?). Liz


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