Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group
Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.
Hello all: It is alarming how many new members we have had sign on recently. The number of people that are being newly diagnosed with Afib has been weighing on my mind. I have been thinking of all the advances and changes that have occurred in our society. The affects of stress and inflammation in the body and our hearts is definitely a contributor. I have been thinking of a crazy notion that may contribute to the continued rise in new Afib cases. I am anxious to get some opinion and discussion on this. (I couldnt sleep last night and my mind works in weird ways when I lay awake with my thoughts and theories:)
I was thinking about and remembering when I was a small child. When my mother used to make mashed potatoes with an electric mixer, as soon as she would turn the mixer on, it would interfere with the TV (before the days of cable, we had an antenna on the house). The picture would be fuzzy until the mixer was shut off.
Then my mind moved to an experience that I had at a doctor's office. The doctor had suspected nerve damage in my lower arm and was conducting an EMG test. Essentially, the technician was poking thin needles in my arm's muscle and getting readings/sounds as part of the test. It amazed me that the noises coming out of the testing equipment were radio stations. Each time they poked a different area, a different radio station was heard.
These thoughts made me wonder if the increase in wireless devices/transmissions in our world today are capable of scrambling the electrical signals within our hearts. Kind of like how the mixer messed up the TV signal when I was a child. Everywhere we go, we are bombarded with wireless signals. It seems they are used for just about everything these days. Not that I intend to walk away from my smartphone or my wireless internet, but it really makes me wonder if the more wireless our society becomes, the more potential for disruptive electrical signals to arise within out hearts. I guess I am trying to find a reason for the steady increase in new cases of Afib.
What do you all think? Have a wonderful day! Carrie
I was thinking about and remembering when I was a small child. When my mother used to make mashed potatoes with an electric mixer, as soon as she would turn the mixer on, it would interfere with the TV (before the days of cable, we had an antenna on the house). The picture would be fuzzy until the mixer was shut off.
Then my mind moved to an experience that I had at a doctor's office. The doctor had suspected nerve damage in my lower arm and was conducting an EMG test. Essentially, the technician was poking thin needles in my arm's muscle and getting readings/sounds as part of the test. It amazed me that the noises coming out of the testing equipment were radio stations. Each time they poked a different area, a different radio station was heard.
These thoughts made me wonder if the increase in wireless devices/transmissions in our world today are capable of scrambling the electrical signals within our hearts. Kind of like how the mixer messed up the TV signal when I was a child. Everywhere we go, we are bombarded with wireless signals. It seems they are used for just about everything these days. Not that I intend to walk away from my smartphone or my wireless internet, but it really makes me wonder if the more wireless our society becomes, the more potential for disruptive electrical signals to arise within out hearts. I guess I am trying to find a reason for the steady increase in new cases of Afib.
What do you all think? Have a wonderful day! Carrie
Glad you are back to normal petey.
You are a deep thinker Carrie! When I can't sleep I think about how I can mix/match my wardrobe..lol.
You may have a point. My cardiologist calls afib the disease of the millenium. He said there is something more than just age that is causing it. The spike started around the year 2000. I bet the increase in wireless signals happened about the same time. Smart phones aren't the only cause. There is also home WiFi, WiFi in restaurants, Neighbors WiFI - all of which became prevalent in the middle of the last decade .... wow we are already into the second decade of the twenty first century. How did that happen? :)
Along the same lines wireless and WiFI are just radio waves ... what is the big deal? We have had radio waves for a long time. THe big deal is we now are getting them in "pharmacological" doses.
Steve: I like your explanation. That is exactly what I was thinking. We are bombarded now a days by wireless transmissions and radio waves. Whether you are at home, the store or starbucks :) While physical health,life style and inflammation are major contributors to arrhythmias, I am fascinated to learn if these signals ever interfere with the heart's electrical system. Especially when I consider that EMT/paramedics or bystander first responders can re-set the hearts rhythm with defibrillation/AED. That is powerful electricity/energy used to save a life but sometimes I wonder if all the weaker, less powerful external radio/wireless waves cause mild interference in the heart's electrical system.
I was thinking maybe it is my sonicare electric toothbrush playing a role.
Most likely my love of beer is playing a role too. I recently had to give up the beer to see if it helps.
When I can't sleep I upset myself by imagining horrible situations and remembering same. Ugh!