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Knowing the difference between heartburn or heart attack is necessary since the correct treatment must be administered by the doctor promptly. Usually, people feel heart burn after consuming a lot of food that could really feel inconvenient most of the time. Heartburn is actually a symptom of GERD ( gastroesophageal reflux disease). Actually, heartburn is just a symptom of other digestive disorders but the pain can be severe enough for a person to call for a medical emergency. As soon as stomach acids gets in contact with the esophagus, heart burn is experienced. Typically, people feeling heart burn simply take antacids to relieve themselves but it’s better to understand the difference between heartburn or heart attack. People experiencing such symptoms must be able to detect the feeling well since the brain sends almost the same pain signals for the two ailments.
How does one know it is a heart attack? The best way to distinguish between heartburn or heart attack is by looking out for the following symptoms according to the Mayo Clinic website:
Chest pain lasts longer in a heart attack.. Anti-acids can immediately relieve a heart burn in a few minutes. The person feels as if a large object is crushing the chest, has difficulty in breathing and breaks out in cold sweat. However, the pain also rapidly spreads to other parts o f the body like back, jaw, shoulders or arms so it’s not just chest pain. Left arm pain with chest pain is already an indicator of heart attack. Pain felt after physical exertion is one way to effectively distinguish between heartburn or heart attack.
Aside from the heavy chest pain, dizziness and nausea are also felt. In both cases, heartburn or heart attack produce pain but when it accompanied by dizziness, nausea or confusion it’s time to call for a medical emergency. There is no need for any delay since vital organs like heart and brain may be cut off oxygen supply that can lead to stroke or even death.
One thing you should keep in mind is that a heartburn is only a symptom which can be relieved while a heart attack is a serious medical situation that needs prompt attention. Thus, knowing if it’s a heartburn or heart attack can save lives.