You know what they say about chest pains, especially in women? It’s enough to strike fear in almost anyone. We’ve all heard the warnings about ignoring potential heart symptoms. Sure, we might let things go for a while, but if the discomfort persists, most of us will begin to wonder what’s up.
Enter my physician.
The last time he and I discussed heart health was a few years ago – right before I ran my second full marathon. I was a little concerned about some tightness in my chest and wanted his go-ahead before toeing the start line.
“If you’ve been training for a marathon, your heart is healthy,” he said. “Roll back the weight training till after the race.”
Um, sure.
Never mind that I can easily name three of four running friends and a couple of super-fit family members who take medication for atrial fibrillation and other heart-related issues.
I heard what I wanted to hear. And I went ahead and did the marathon. And more.
Fast-forward a few years.
The chest pains came back and were even more pronounced. What’s more, they lasted for days and days.
I contacted my physician again. He ran an EKG, which was normal. Then he asked me if I was still working with weights.
Well, yes. So maybe the chest pain had more to do with picking sturdier hand-weights for kickboxing lately. I guess I’ll scale that back for a while.
Gotta love a simple answer.
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