What to Avoid While Wearing a Holter Monitor

If you feel a skipped heartbeat or are experiencing chest pain, an ECG in the ER is necessary. But what happens if that doesn't show the problem?

When an ECG isn't enough to determine the cause of your symptoms, the Heart Clinic of Hammond provides Holter monitoring.

Dr. Ghiath Mikdadi and Dr. Farid Zayed are our two board-certified cardiologists offering cutting-edge cardiac services, including Holter monitoring, cardiac catheterizations, and nuclear stress testing.

When do you need a Holter monitor?

A Holter monitor is a device you wear when you're having issues with your heart. An electrocardiogram only captures a tiny snippet of your heartbeat and can miss skipped beats and other problems.

Our team may recommend a Holter monitor if they need more information about your heart health that they couldn't get from the ECG alone. Some of the other reasons you might need a Holter monitor include the following:

• Episodes of chest pain
• Fatigue or weakness
• An irregular heartbeat
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Symptoms of a pacemaker
• Fluttering in your heart
• Skipped heartbeats

You typically wear a Holter monitor for 24-48 hours, depending on what our team is looking for. During this time, you should go about most of your normal activities. The Holter monitor picks up any abnormalities in your heartbeat and records them for our team to evaluate.

A Holter monitor is a convenient way to find out what's going on with your heart without staying in the hospital for days or weeks.

We attach the battery-powered Holter monitor to your body with tape. The Holter monitor has several electrodes attached that we place on your chest around your heart. The electrodes capture your heartbeat while we monitor you with the device.

Things to avoid while you have the Holter monitor

Our team advises you on what to expect during the Holter monitoring process. They also provide information on what you can and can't do while wearing the monitor. There are a few things you should avoid while we're monitoring you, which include the following:

Showering

Getting the Holter monitor wet damages the machine and skews your results. You want to avoid taking a full shower or bath while wearing the monitor. However, you can use moist towels or a washcloth to wash off your armpits, genitals, and areas around the monitoring device.

Swimming

Like showering and bathing, you want to avoid swimming while wearing the Holter monitor. It's only attached for a day or two, and you can swim once we remove the device.

While we monitor you with the Holter device, it's also crucial that you avoid large magnets and specific electrical devices. These things can jam the signal between the electrodes on your chest and the actual Holter device.

During the 24-48 hours that you're wearing the Holter monitor, our team advises you to avoid the following devices:

• MRI machines
• Microwave ovens
• Electric blankets
• Metal detectors
• Electric razors

Also, be careful how close you hold your cell phone to the Holter monitor. Keep it about six inches from the device to avoid interruptions.

Besides these items, you should go about your normal activities while wearing the Holter monitor. It allows our team to evaluate your heart during your everyday activities thoroughly.

To schedule your Holter monitor evaluation, call Heart Clinic of Hammond today at 985-974-9278. You may also request an appointment online for a consultation at our Hammond or Amite, Louisiana, office.