A beloved n father-of-three has died after complaining of back pain.
Victorian man Ben Staples left work early on the morning of June 5 after he began to experience pain radiating from both of his shoulders.
As his beloved wife Kylie attended to their three young children in the kitchen her husband suddenly collapsed elsewhere in the house.
She discovered Ben unconscious and unresponsive and quickly administered CPR while her daughter May called triple-zero.
Unbeknownst to his family, Ben had suffered a massive heart attack.
He was rushed to hospital and tragically died three-days later on June 8.
Kylie’s cousin Laura Nixon said the Staples family had been left heartbroken by the loss of their ‘beloved husband and father’.
She said the family felt as if their ‘entire world has fallen apart’.
Ms Nixon has started a GoFundMe to collect donations for the Staples family.
‘There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding their future and I would love to raise some money to create a little bit more certainty as they begin to navigate a life without their loved one,’ Ms Nixon wrote.
‘I know times are tough for a lot of people, but if you could find it in your heart to make even the smallest donation it would be greatly appreciated.
‘No one should have to go through such tragedy feeling isolated or unsupported.’
If you need assistance call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.
What causes a heart attack?
To understand the connection between heart attacks and back pain, it’s best to know what causes a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is severely reduced or blocked.
Blockages are caused by clots, which are buildups of plaque that eventually stop blood from flowing through the arteries that feed the heart, also known as the coronary arteries. Heart attacks are deadly not just because they stop blood flow, but because they damage or destroy the heart muscle. When the heart muscle is too damaged to pump regularly or at all, the body cannot function properly.
The connection between back pain and heart attack
When the blood flow in a coronary artery is blocked, it causes an immense amount of pressure. In many people, this causes a sensation of pressure, cramping, or squeezing in the chest.
The pain can also radiate to the back; that’s why many people feel both chest and back pain before a heart attack. Sometimes, the pain is only present in the upper back. It’s also possible to feel pain in your neck, jaws, shoulders, or abdomen.
Back pain that occurs with exercise and disappears with rest could also be a sign of heart failure.
SOURCE: https://www.phoenixheart.com/blog/back-pain-could-it-be-your-heart