It’s normal for your heart to start racing after a stressful event. But what if it doesn’t stop racing?
Heart palpitations with no recognizable cause — especially when the rate climbs as high as 140 beats per minute, are a major red flag, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
If you have a known thyroid condition and start feeling faint, overheated or notice that your heart rate won’t go down, it’s important to get to Amory Urgent Care as soon as you can. That’s because these could be signs of a thyroid storm.
What is a thyroid storm?
Your thyroid gland is responsible for maintaining your metabolism. Under normal operating conditions, it’s just a little gland in your neck area that releases hormones that help control everything from your heart rate and temperature to how fast your body burns calories.
Some people naturally have thyroids that secrete too much hormone, a condition medical experts at institutions like Penn Medicine identify as hyperthyroidism. And when that already-high output suddenly surges into overload, it produces an extreme and dangerous event called a thyroid storm. And thyroid storms don’t occur without a trigger. Very stressful events can be enough to send your thyroid gland into overdrive.
The Cleveland Clinic warns that, while this condition occurs only rarely, it’s extremely serious and demands immediate medical attention when it does. An overactive thyroid might suddenly start giving off excessive amounts of thyroid hormone in response to many triggers, such as sudden physical trauma, an emotional scare, surgery and more.
Think of a thyroid storm as the far end of the spectrum of thyroid problems, like the difference between a cooking fire and a house fire. It’s a serious medical condition that can cause organ damage or even death if left untreated.
The signs of a thyroid storm
As frightening as a rapid heartbeat can be, Amory Urgent Care is here to replace your fear with clarity. The first thing is to recognize what your symptoms actually are. If a thyroid storm is to blame, you’re likely to experience:
- A heart that feels like it’s about to pound out of your chest.
- Feeling like you’re about to faint or can’t catch your breath.
- Intense agitation or disorientation. Thyroid storms can impair your ability to think clearly.
- Drenching sweat or bouts of shaking that come out of nowhere.
If more than one of these signs show up at once, don’t wait around. Your body may be warning you about something serious, and getting checked out quickly can make all the difference.
Should you go to urgent care?
If you’re certain that you’re experiencing a thyroid storm, that’s a true 911 emergency. The telltale signs — a fever, confusion, and irregular heartbeat — mean you need help right away.
According to MedlinePlus, a trusted resource run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, it’s not even safe to drive yourself in this condition. You need paramedics trained to respond quickly, with life-saving equipment in the ambulance to stabilize your heart rate and breathing before you arrive at the hospital.
But maybe your symptoms haven’t reached that stage yet.
Heart palpitations are possible even if you don’t have other symptoms of a thyroid storm. If you have a history of hyperthyroidism and are experiencing a racing heartbeat — but without the more severe symptoms of a thyroid storm — urgent care could be the right place to start.
A walk-in clinic like Amory Urgent Care can:
- Assess your vital signs without delay
- Test your thyroid levels
- Conduct an EKG to measure your heart rhythm
- Start stabilizing your symptoms right away
A minor to moderate thyroid condition can still escalate into a thyroid storm. Remember that our medical team at Amory Urgent Care can arrange for your transfer to a more specialized facility or an emergency clinic if your symptoms warrant it, so even if you’re unsure, this is still a place to come and find clarity.
A steady hand in a scary time — Amory Urgent Care
You need to know if your fast heartbeat is serious. If it’s the start of something like a thyroid storm, our urgent care team can act fast to stabilize your symptoms and get you the right level of care. Amory Urgent Care is here seven days a week, right off Highway 278, with no appointment needed and shorter wait times than the ER. Come see us and find the answers you need.