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. 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: 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. 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: 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.Common Symptoms of Heartburn
Heartburn vs. Heart Attack Symptoms
Emergency Symptoms
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.