Why heartbreaks are so painful? Experts explain the science behind it

People often go through multiple emotions as they feel euphoric, intense and giddy at the same time when they fall in love.

However, a lot of them suffer physical pain too when their heart breaks due to the failure of their relationship or the sudden death of their loved ones.

Experts say that the physical pain one experiences due to heartbreak is very real and actually has a scientific explanation.

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According to a report published by Live Science, the painful heartbreaks have a physiological explanation and the symptoms are not only the mind's play, stated Dr Deborah Lee, a medical writer for the Dr Fox Online Pharmacy in England.

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"When you fall in love, there is a natural outpouring of hormones. These include the 'cuddle' hormone oxytocin and the 'feel-good' hormone dopamine," Dr Lee said.

"But when you fall out of love, levels of oxytocin and dopamine drop, while at the same time there is an increase in levels of one of the hormones responsible for stress - cortisol," she explained.

According to the doctor, the increased cortisol levels can lead to conditions like weight gain, increased anxiety, high blood pressure and acne.

Social rejection like getting separated from your partner also activates a few parts of the brain which are related to physical pain, she said.

As per the report, in a few cases, the pain due to a broken heart can also be a medical condition called “Takotsubo cardiomyopathy” or the “broken heart syndrome” which is a heart condition that lasts for short-duration triggered by physical or emotional stress.

The condition leads to a change in the way blood is pumped by the heart and sometimes makes the heart pump blood harder, due to which the person experiences chest pain.

Broken heart syndrome's symptoms are similar to that of a heart attack, which makes it difficult for doctors and patients to differentiate between the two.

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In various cases, the only way doctors can diagnose broken heart syndrome is by carrying out heart catheterisation or coronary angiogram, in which they insert a small catheter through the arm, groin, or neck and take it to the heart.

After a contrast dye is injected into the chamber of the heart, its effectiveness can be evaluated by physicians.

Typically, severe stressors cause broken heart syndrome and usually, it occurs only once. Most of its patients suffer pain for some days or weeks, but in a few cases, it has resulted in death.

(With inputs from agencies)

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