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Nashville defenseman Roman Josi had to end his season early.
Keystone
After a brutal check, Roman Josi is plagued by headaches for weeks and can no longer play. Now it's clear: the Swiss NHL star has a problem in his heart area.
On February 25, Roman Josi suffered a concussion in the game against Florida after a violent check - for the second time. He has not played a game since then. He also had to miss the World Championship.
As Josi now tells Blick, he was plagued by headaches almost every day. This caused him great concern: "I've been worried several times in recent months that my brain is damaged."
A full-body examination in Denver finally revealed that the Nashville defenseman's brain had no defects. However, Josi was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). This condition causes the heart rate to increase abnormally when standing up from a sitting position - which can cause dizziness, light-headedness and headaches, among other things.
As a child, Josi fainted several times as if out of nowhere, as his mother Doris told Blick. There was no exact diagnosis at the time. It is possible that this was related to his heart problem.
He is now "much better", says Josi. In recent weeks, he has undergone therapy and taken beta blockers. The symptoms are slowly subsiding. Josi is now able to train on the ice again.
This gives the Swiss NHL star confidence: "I've regained the belief that I'll be 100% fit again and can fully attack with Nashville and the Swiss national team next winter."
