VALPARAISO – When chest pain strikes, it’s sometimes hard to know if the cause is something you ate causing heartburn or heart attack. Symptoms of heartburn and heart attack can be quite similar, but the right diagnosis can be a matter of life and death.
“Heartburn and other digestive disorders are not a health emergency, but it can be difficult to distinguish what is causing any chest pain you are experiencing,” said Cardiologist Maya Kommineni, M.D., MPH. “Heartburn is very common and many treat chest pain by self-medicating. However, it is better to be safe and report chest pain, especially if it’s a new symptom, to your doctor.”
Heartburn or acid reflux occurs when the valve between the esophagus and the stomach does not close properly, allowing stomach acid to back up into the esophagus. Severe, chronic heartburn is called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The main symptom of GERD is frequent burning pain in the lower part of the chest.
According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately 70 million Americans experience non-cardiac chest pain caused by gastrointestinal issues. Symptoms of heartburn/GERD include:
– The chest pain usually occurs after eating, or while lying down.
– Pain may be accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth, due to stomach acid moving up into the esophagus.
– Pain may be brief, or may continue for several hours.
– Chest pain may be accompanied by dry cough, asthma symptoms, or trouble swallowing.
“Typical chest pain signaling a heart attack involves uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center or left side of the chest that can be mild or strong. But it can also be vague such as abdominal discomfort, heartburn or shoulder pain,” said Dr. Kommineni.
If you regularly experience heartburn and the pain seems to worsen, or is different than usual – or if it occurs during physical activity and is accompanied by any of the above symptoms, call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room, immediately.
If you have severe, reoccurring heartburn talk to your doctor about treating it with medication and lifestyle changes. You may need to see a gastroenterologist for additional guidance.
To learn more about heartburn and heart attacks, or to find a physician who can help you with health concerns, visit PorterHealth.com or call 1-800-541-1861.
