The problem in shortly figuring out whether or not you’re having a coronary heart assault or coping with a case of heartburn is that the 2 situations share overlapping signs. Even healthcare suppliers can’t at all times differentiate them based mostly on signs alone.
One key distinction lies in the way it feels. A coronary heart assault is usually described as stress, tightness, squeezing, or constriction within the chest, relatively than sharp ache, says Nishant Shah, MD, a heart specialist at Duke Well being in Durham, North Carolina. Many individuals don’t describe the feeling as ache in any respect. As a substitute, it could really feel like heaviness or discomfort unfold throughout a broad space of the chest, he says.
Heartburn, alternatively, is brought on by abdomen acid transferring upward into the esophagus. It may be triggered by sure meals and tends to really feel like a burning sensation within the chest or higher stomach that will rise towards the throat, says Shah.
However these distinctions aren’t foolproof. Coronary heart-related signs don’t at all times really feel “textbook,” and digestive signs don’t at all times current predictably. “It’s essential to not simply chalk up chest discomfort to heartburn, particularly if you happen to’ve by no means had it earlier than,” says Shah.
How lengthy it lasts issues too. Chest stress or discomfort that persists, worsens, or retains returning shouldn’t be ignored, he provides.
