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When You Feel Nauseous and Your Heart Races for No Apparent Reason, Could It Be Autonomic Ataxia?

Do you sometimes feel as if your solar plexus is tightly blocked with indigestion, and your chest races with sudden anxiety for no apparent reason? Even after getting medical checkups only to hear "there is nothing specifically wrong," have you ever felt vaguely anxious and frustrated upon being told it's merely psychosomatic? When you experience unexplained indigestion and rapid heartbeat, these symptoms can be a signal that the balance of the autonomic nervous system—our body's crucial regulatory system—has been broken.

Our bodies constantly adjust themselves to changing external environments and internal states. Every process—heart beating, digesting, falling asleep, and waking up—requires the delicate regulation of the autonomic nervous system. When the balance of the autonomic nervous system breaks due to stress, overwork, or irregular lifestyle habits, our body begins sending abnormal signals in unexpected ways. At this point, rather than simply relying on digestives or tranquilizers, it is crucial to find the root cause and restore harmony.

💡 [Key Answer] Top 3 most common causes of "When you feel nauseous and your heart races for no apparent reason": ① Autonomic imbalance caused by stress and overwork / ② Gut-brain axis issues caused by reduced gut function / ③ Chronic anxiety and tension state Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic treats through autonomic stabilization, relaxing over-activated sympathetic nerves and activating parasympathetic nerves to restore body and mind harmony.

Many people visit hospitals for indigestion or heart racing and undergo thorough medical examinations, only to return home with a "normal" diagnosis. Yet, the symptoms remain agonizing. Such chronic discomforts whose clear causes cannot be easily identified through test results are highly likely to be issues of the autonomic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system regulates all visceral functions in our body and operates automatically without conscious will. Largely divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, the sympathetic nervous system tensions the body and expends energy, while the parasympathetic nervous system relaxes the body and stores energy. Modern individuals are prone to imbalance where sympathetic nerves become excessively active and parasympathetic nerve function declines due to chronic stress, irregular living, and excessive caffeine intake. This autonomic imbalance can disrupt peristalsis in the digestive system, inducing psychogenic indigestion, bloating, and food stagnation. It also affects heart rate regulation functions, causing chest palpitations, stuffiness, and anxiety.

Autonomic ataxia is difficult to fundamentally resolve by simply suppressing symptoms. Korean medicine views autonomic imbalance from a holistic perspective that body and mind are connected. In particular, through differentiation of syndromes (Byunjeung) such as liver qi stagnation (Gang-gi ulche) due to stress or spleen-heart weakness (Sim-bi heoyak), we understand individual constitutions and symptom patterns to provide tailored treatments.

The efficacy of this Korean medicine approach is proven through various studies. For example, a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial published in 「Frontiers in Pharmacology」 in 2023 reported results of administering the herbal prescription Naesohwajung-tang for 4 weeks to 116 functional dyspepsia patients. As a result, the Naesohwajung-tang group showed a significantly greater reduction in total dyspepsia symptom scores compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05), and overall symptom improvement (p < 0.01) was also higher. In particular, significant improvements were confirmed in key digestive symptoms such as epigastric burning, postprandial fullness, and early satiety, as well as functional dyspepsia-related quality of life indices. The researchers concluded that Naesohwajung-tang can be an effective treatment for alleviating functional dyspepsia symptoms. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic aims for integrated treatment that simultaneously improves digestive symptoms and accompanying autonomic nervous system issues based on these data.

Furthermore, a meta-analysis study published in 2024 by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine systematically analyzed the effects of Korean medicine treatments for cardiac neurosis—chest palpitations, anxiety, and somatization symptoms occurring due to autonomic dysfunction. Analyzing a total of 151 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), this study showed that Korean medicine treatments—such as herbal medicine, combined herbal and western medicine, and acupuncture—showed better effects than western medicine alone in improving somatization, depression, and anxiety symptoms as well as overall treatment effective rates. Notably, 'chest palpitations' (59%) and 'anxiety/agitation' (88%) were confirmed as the most common chief complaints of autonomic ataxia patients. This suggests that Korean medicine treatment can effectively act on the core symptoms of autonomic ataxia. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic focuses on alleviating chest palpitations and anxiety for patients based on this objective evidence of Korean medicine treatment for heart and neurological symptoms. For those seeking Incheon autonomic oriental medicine clinics, such in-depth Korean medicine diagnosis and treatment can be of great help.

At Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, 'autonomic stabilization' is adopted as the core treatment principle to resolve the root causes of unexplained indigestion and heart racing. When the balance of the autonomic nervous system breaks, the brain cannot rest, continuing to operate like an overheated engine. This creates a vulnerable state to stress and ultimately leads to functional abnormalities throughout the body.

Through precise diagnoses such as autonomic testing (HRV testing), pulse diagnosis, and abdominal palpation, we identify the current activity and balance state of the autonomic nervous system. Through tailored herbal prescriptions fitting individual constitutions and symptoms, we calm excessive excitation of the nervous system and create an environment where the brain can sufficiently rest. Lowering neural heat and allowing the brain to rest so it can autonomously regulate body functions is key. This process removes unnecessary waste (dam-eum) in the body, promotes qi and blood circulation, and focuses on relaxing excessively tense sympathetic nerves while boosting diminished parasympathetic nerve functions.

Check how many of the following apply to you: (If applicable 3 or more days a week over the past 3 months)

• Chest feels tight and races without apparent reason.
• Frequently get indigestion and upset stomach, with a stuffy solar plexus.
• Difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently even when asleep, or dreaming a lot.
• Severe chronic fatigue that does not feel refreshed even after resting.
• Easily feel anxious or agitated over small matters.
• Frequently experience headaches or dizziness.
• Hands and feet are cold, or excessive cold sweats in certain areas.
• Neck and shoulders are always stiff and sore.

Diagnosis and Recommendations:

• 3 or fewer: Attention to autonomic health is needed. Manage through lifestyle improvements.
• 4 to 6: High possibility of autonomic imbalance. Considering autonomic stabilization Korean medicine complex treatment is recommended.
• 7 or more: Autonomic ataxia may be in an advanced state. Immediate precise diagnosis and treatment at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Incheon Branch is recommended.

Q. How long does autonomic ataxia treatment take? A. Treatment duration varies depending on individual symptom severity, causes, and lifestyle habits. Generally, symptoms improve over a 2 to 3-month treatment period, and subsequent lifestyle management is important to prevent recurrence.

Q. Can it be treated with Korean medicine even if medical test results are normal? A. Yes, it can be sufficiently treated. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Incheon Branch restores autonomic balance and improves symptoms through Korean medicine diagnosis and treatment for functional diseases where western medical tests find no special abnormalities.

Q. Do heart palpitations and indigestion get treated together? A. Of course. Heart palpitations and indigestion are representative symptoms influenced by the autonomic nervous system, often appearing together due to autonomic ataxia. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic focuses on restoring overall physical function by treating the root cause—autonomic imbalance—together.

Q. What examinations are performed at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Incheon? A. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Incheon Branch conducts various Korean medicine diagnostics including HRV (heart rate variability) testing to objectively grasp the patient's autonomic state, establishing personalized treatment plans.

Discomfort from unexplained indigestion and heart racing is not a problem to be endured. You no longer have to ignore the body's signals sent for a long time. Bring your current symptoms as they are. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic will find the cause together.

Where life blooms. For herbal medicine, it's Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check your symptoms through AI consultation on the Dalimchae website first!

Medical Supervision | Brain & Autonomic Treatment Standards Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Incheon Branch Korean Medicine Doctor Yang Yuchan