Why does our heart physically hurt when we feel emotional pain?

Question

You know when someone hurts you and you feel like they just ripped open your chest and yanked your heart right out?

Or when you get all heated or your stomach starts turning out of nowhere .. why do we feel this way?

How does an emotional problem make you hurt so much physically?

Answer 1

I remember that one time, somebody wrote in to Dr. Donohue (an M.D. physician with a medical advice column that runs in many American newspapers) and asked him if it was possible to die of a broken heart. He said yes. He said that when we experience emotional trauma, it often stuns our hearts and slows down their normal functioning.

According to him, most of our hearts return to normal as the pain and shock we experience from the trauma wears off and we start to come to terms with whatever (or whoever) it was that caused us pain. But if we can't come to grips with the trauma, and our hearts don't resume fuctioning normally after too much time, death may very well occur.  

Answer 2

yes, it can kill u

Answer 3

Strong emotions cause our body to secrete chemicals which among other things increase heart rate and blood pressure, causing stress on your circulatory system.

Answer 4

my guess would be because to much adrenealin is pumped.  please answer mine its the newest one in my questions thanks =]

Answer 5

No one knows all the mysterious ways that our brain affects our physiology. Emotions are very strange and complex things. Yes, hormones are secreted in response to stressors, and these hormones can make your heart pound, your stomach knot, your palms sweat, etc. These are the typical "fight or flight" response hormones.

However, sadness, depression, heartaches of all kinds can very severely affect our health and bodies in ways that no one really understands.

Some old married couples exhibit this in an amazing way. When one spouse dies, the other, completely healthy spouse will often die within a month or two of their mate. No one really understands this entirely.