The phrase “heartbroken” isn’t just poetic metaphor – it might be an accurate description of how emotional language creates genuine physical sensations in your body. When you describe feelings using ...

Medically reviewed by Brigid Dwyer, MD Key Takeaways Burning sensations can happen due to nerve damage, infections, or skin ...

That deep ache after losing someone you love isn’t just a poetic metaphor. When you describe your heart as “broken” or emotional pain as “crushing,” your body takes these expressions literally.

As you can imagine, this type of somatic mimicry can create confusion in regard to what to do: Some people will rush to the emergency room, while others may experience even greater anxiety as they ...