Palpitations

心悸

Awareness of rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeat.

Quick Facts

Health Topic	Cardiovascular Care
Also Known As	Heart pounding, Racing heart feeling, Fluttering heart, Noticeable heartbeat, Heart flutter
Common Symptoms	An awareness of the heartbeat that feels stronger, faster or more irregular than usual. It may appear at rest or with mild stress, and can come with shortness of breath, chest discomfort or anxiety. Episodes may be brief or longer-lasting.
Related TCM Patterns	Dampness · Qi Deficiency · Yang Deficiency · Yin Deficiency
Related Classical Formulas	Zhen Wu Tang · Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang · Sheng Mai San · Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan · Zhi Gan Cao Tang · An Shen Ding Zhi Wan

Palpitations in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, palpitations in the current set are associated with Yang deficiency. Differentiation looks at whether there is cold limbs, fatigue and a preference for warmth. Classical formulas are matched to this pattern context rather than to the heartbeat sensation alone. Accompanying signs such as tongue appearance, pulse quality and the presence of heat or cold help distinguish one presentation from another. This page outlines how the tradition has organised such presentations for educational reference.

TCM Patterns Associated With Palpitations

The same presentation may be understood through more than one pattern. Pattern differentiation weighs the accompanying signs, not the symptom on its own.

Pattern	Common Features	Related Formulas
Dampness濕阻證Damp Patterns	A heavy, sluggish body feeling, abdominal fullness, sticky sensation in the mouth, and reduced appetite. Stools may be sticky or incomplete, and the person often feels worse in humid weather. There can be oedema of the limbs or a greasy facial sheen. Tongue with a thick greasy white coating; pulse soft or slippery.	Ling Gui Zhu Gan Tang
Qi Deficiency氣虛證Deficiency Patterns	Easy fatigue, shortness of breath on mild effort, a soft or low voice, and spontaneous sweating with light activity. The complexion is often pale, and recovery after exertion is slow. There may be a tendency to catch external pathogens more easily. Tongue pale with a thin white coating; pulse weak or empty.	Sheng Mai San Zhi Gan Cao Tang An Shen Ding Zhi Wan
Yang Deficiency陽虛證Deficiency Patterns	Aversion to cold, cold limbs, preference for warm drinks and clothing, and low energy that worsens in cold weather. There may be loose stools, clear copious urine, a pale puffy face, and reduced libido or lumbar weakness. The person feels better with warmth and worse with cold exposure. Tongue pale and possibly swollen with a white coating; pulse deep and weak.	Zhen Wu Tang
Yin Deficiency陰虛證Deficiency Patterns	Dry mouth and throat, night sweats or warm palms and soles, a thin body frame, and restlessness that is worse in the afternoon or at night. Sleep may be light, and there is often a preference for cool drinks. Symptoms feel empty rather than forceful. Tongue red with scant coating; pulse thin and rapid.	Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan