Those who have experienced it know what I'm talking about, but I think a lot of people might think of heartache as simply being sad or sorrowful. It's not. It is a genuine pain felt in the middle of the chest. In my experience it is usually felt in association with the loss of someone we love, that could be through death or the parting of the ways with a lover.

But I would really like to know what causes it. What is the process that turns an emotional state into a physical sensation? Is heartache only ever associated with the "loss" of a loved person or does it also apply when we loose a loved pet? I would guess so, because the two key things that seem to be necessary for this state to arise are love (given) and loss/grief. Is grief the key? Is grief the only emotion that leads to heartache?

I don't have many friends (ahh!) here, and I'd really like to get as many views on this topic as possible, so if you can ask your friends' input on this I'd really appreciate it.

Oh, and in case you're worrying, I'm not really experiencing heartache at the moment, just a bit of a twinge from time to time. And that in itself is interesting, in that if I call to mind sorrowful things in my life then I get a twinge of heartache. Or maybe it's wind.;)