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Heart Disease
Many people with chest pain fear a heart attack. However, there can be many possible causes of chest pain. Some are mildly inconvenient, while others are serious, even life-threatening. Any organ or tissue in your chest can be the source of pain, including your heart, lungs, oesophagus, muscles, ribs, tendons, or nerves
When a heart condition is diagnosed your normal existence is rudely shattered.
Suddenly there are lots of questions to be answered:
- What happens now,
- Can it be treated,
- Does it require an operation,
- Will I be able to continue working - or am I on my way to becoming a permanent invalid?
There are also new emotions to be faced; the panic-type fear every time pain strikes and brings you to a panting halt; the anxiety of suddenly not being in full control of your life and your future; and the anger that all this is actually happening to you!
Your family will have their questions and anxieties too. Like you, they want to understand what is happening to you and to be reassured everything will be all right. Joining your local hospital's cardiac rehabilitation programme will help. You will discover other people experiencing the same anxieties and worries. (Because it does help to discover other people are in the same boat!) There may also be a local cardiac support group you can join, (I would suggest you join it, as it can give you lots of support).
In the UK, the British Heart Foundation has a list of affiliated support groups and will be able to tell you how to contact your local cardiac rehabilitation programme. http://www.bhf.org.uk/ (For US Groups see Useful Resources)
