Acid reflux and chest pain left side

Common Symptoms of Heartburn

If you've got a burning feeling in your chest just behind your breastbone that starts after you eat, it might be heartburn. The symptoms could last from a few minutes to several hours.

Table of Contents Show

Common Symptoms of Heartburn
Heartburn vs. Heart Attack Symptoms
Emergency Symptoms
Chest pain can be scary, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a heart attack. Here’s what else it could indicate.
Do your symptoms appear after eating?
Is your pain accompanied by a runny nose, coughing, sore throat and fever?
Do you have a rapid heart rate, fever, fatigue or trouble breathing?
Do you feel pressure in your chest and discomfort in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back? Do you feel like you have indigestion?
Are you experiencing shortness of breath, nausea, arm pain, fatigue, profuse sweating or pale and clammy skin?
What part of chest hurts with acid reflux?
How do I know if my chest pain is acid reflux?
How can you tell the difference between gastric pain and heart pain?
Why would my chest be hurting on the left side?

Heartburn begins when stomach acid splashes up into your esophagus, a tube that connects the back of your throat and stomach. Besides the burning feeling in your chest, you may also get:

Chest pain, especially after you bend over, lie down, or eat
Burning at the back of your throat
Fluid at the back of your throat that tastes hot, sour, acidic, or salty
Long-term cough, sore throat, or hoarseness

Telling your doctor about these symptoms is usually all they need to make a diagnosis of heartburn. But they may ask you to take special tests to find out how severe the problem is or to keep an eye on your treatment.

Heartburn vs. Heart Attack Symptoms

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons to go to the emergency room. While many of these people are having angina or a heart attack, some folks may have severe heartburn.

Often, the pain from angina, a heart attack, or a severe heartburn episode are so hard to tell apart that doctors need sophisticated tests to figure out what's going on.

To complicate things even more, angina/heart disease and heartburn share risk factors of being older or overweight.

Signs more typical of heartburn include:

You have a sharp, burning feeling just below your breastbone or ribs.The chest pain can be accompanied by an acidic taste in your mouth, regurgitation of food, or a burning in your throat.
Pain generally doesn't spread to your shoulders, neck, or arms, but it can.
Pain usually comes after meals, particularly after foods or drinks that trigger reflux in you.
Pain also comes when you lie down or exercise on a full stomach.
Symptoms usually get better quickly after taking an antacid.
You rarely get a cold sweat or shortness of breath along with your other symptoms.

Emergency Symptoms

If you have pain in your chest that's not going away and you're not sure whether it's heartburn or a heart attack, call 911.

But don't forget, the symptoms of heart attack and heartburn can sometimes go away after a while. So always call your doctor if you had pain in your chest and you're not sure why -- even if it stopped.

Also, call 911 if you have symptoms that are more typical of a heart attack or angina (severe chest pain from heart problems), such as:

Feeling of fullness, tightness, or dull pressure or pain generally in the center of your chest
Feeling like a belt is being tightened around your chest
Pain that comes on with exercise, and is relieved by rest
Sudden chest pain or pressure that gets worse
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Pain that spreads to your shoulders, neck, jaw, or arms
Pain that gets better quickly after taking nitroglycerin
Shortness of breath
Cold sweat along with other symptoms

If you have any pain that lasts for more than a few minutes or any warning signs of a heart attack, get medical help right away. Also get emergency help if you're confused at all about whether your symptoms are from a heartburn or a heart attack.

Chest pain can be scary, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a heart attack. Here’s what else it could indicate.

Chest pain or discomfort is one of the symptoms people experience when they are having a heart attack, but it can also be a sign of something else. These questions can help you figure out whether your symptoms mean you should get immediate medical help or make an appointment with a doctor.

Do your symptoms appear after eating?

If you have overindulged or eaten greasy or spicy foods, you may experience a scorching feeling in your chest. This could be heartburn, which is a symptom of acid reflux and is caused by GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

“30%-40% of patients presenting to ER with chest pain have chest pain due to acid reflux, or GERD,” says Caitlin Houghton, MD, a general surgeon at Keck Medicine of USC and assistant professor of clinical surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Although, “heartburn can be due to heart problems and should be checked by an ER or local doctor,” she adds.

Is your pain accompanied by a runny nose, coughing, sore throat and fever?

Acute bronchitis can make your chest ache, a pain that worsens if you have a hacking cough. The condition occurs when your bronchial tubes become inflamed. Mucus builds up, leading to shortness of breath and feeling like you have a cold.

Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs and ask you to rest and drink plenty of liquids to thin the mucus and keep your bronchial tubes lubricated. If symptoms continue longer than 10 days, consider getting a chest X-ray to determine whether your condition has turned into pneumonia or if there is another culprit causing your pain.

Do you have a rapid heart rate, fever, fatigue or trouble breathing?

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that produces symptoms resembling a heart attack. If you have these symptoms, seek medical help immediately.

Do you feel pressure in your chest and discomfort in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back? Do you feel like you have indigestion?

Angina signals an underlying heart condition that can lead to a heart attack. Stable angina is triggered by emotional stress, smoking, heavy meals and extreme variances in temperature, all of which cause your heart to work harder.

This type of angina is episodic but controllable. Your doctor can help you understand and manage the condition.

Unstable angina is characterized by sudden chest pain or worsening or persistent chest discomfort that occurs during sleep or reduced physical activity. It is caused by a reduction in blood flow to the heart. This is a serious health issue that requires immediate medical attention.

Are you experiencing shortness of breath, nausea, arm pain, fatigue, profuse sweating or pale and clammy skin?

If you experience these symptoms for longer than five minutes and have no explanation for them, call 911. You could be having a heart attack.

Topics

acute bronchitis

angina

chest pain

Dr. Caitlin Houghton

heart attack

heartburn

myocarditis

Heidi Tyline King is a former magazine editor who has written for numerous national publications.

What part of chest hurts with acid reflux?

Chest pain stemming from GERD may affect your upper body in some cases, but it's most often centered either behind your sternum or just underneath it in an area known as the epigastrium. NCCP is usually accompanied by a burning behind your breastbone and may not be felt as much in the left arm.

How do I know if my chest pain is acid reflux?

Signs more typical of heartburn include: You have a sharp, burning feeling just below your breastbone or ribs. The chest pain can be accompanied by an acidic taste in your mouth, regurgitation of food, or a burning in your throat. Pain generally doesn't spread to your shoulders, neck, or arms, but it can.

How can you tell the difference between gastric pain and heart pain?

Heartburn typically includes a burning sensation that starts in the upper part of the stomach and radiates to the chest. A heart attack typically includes an uncomfortable sensation in the center or left side of the chest that's sometimes described as pressure, squeezing, or a “fullness.”

Why would my chest be hurting on the left side?

Chest pain can sometimes signal a medical emergency, such as a heart attack. If you're feeling pain in your left ribs, it's best not to ignore it. Heart attack symptoms include : pain, discomfort, or a heavy feeling in your chest, usually in the middle or on the left side.