Pericarditis can ruin you as a season is going to happen to me, but it is important to know that this disease is. Pericarditis is inflammation of a double membrane surrounding the heart called the pericardium. It can lead to stroke the pericardium (the formation of liquid between the membrane is attached to the heart and is in contact with the lungs) and may also lead to thickening, retraction, and calcification of the pericardium.
In 10% of cases the cause is viral but 90% is unknown, although I think in my case has been viral because it is usually preceded by a cold or sore throat and in my case after the Ironman I had a cold for 10 weeks duration. Pericarditis you can spoil the season especially if he does not heed the doctors from the beginning.
There are two types acute and chronic depending on whether shorter or longer than 6 weeks. The symptoms are very simple, is chest pain that is exacerbated when one is lying and decreases to sit or lie ahead, but above all it emphasizes deep breathing, which makes breathing difficult, so if you have practiced the sport while burden and pain is much greater.
Ideally, knowing the cause is not just doing the typical ECG or ultrasound, but do a good questioning by the physician (medical history) because that’s the key, and tests simply confirm the diagnosis, in my case after 2 stand for the cold months and inability to breathe after the pool sessions I went to the doctor failed to diagnose it but even if I got the right treatment as is usually treated with typical anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen three times a day.
The problem is that if the symptoms are not noticed you can always think that it is pericarditis and stay in the game (in my case only lost without nearly the level cardio, racquetball except 3 days, 3 days of weights and pushups a day). Moreover, if treatment is not followed strictly for a long period of pericarditis is not achieved completely cured and can return in constrictive which is a complication of different types of pericarditis, and that’s when the cure does not take place spontaneously.
My experience says that the ideal is to consult a specialist, I as I went to a diagnosis gave me perfectly, strictly carry out treatment and above all, even if it hurts, stop doing any sports for at least 10 weeks in which should continue the treatment with ibuprofen.
So if you have a small doubt of being able pericarditis have not forgotten and let go as soon as possible to a specialist (cardiologist) and diagnosed it as soon as you perform the treatment and leave all sporting activities, and the duration will be reduced to 6 weeks and not as in my case it took 3 months without being able to train well and I expect another 10-week hiatus forced me and destroy the preseason and consistent season.