How can you tell the difference between heartburn and a heart attack ?

It became quite scary for me several times. I could never tell whether my chest pain was caused by acid reflux or was it related to a heart problem.

I remember asking a friend nurse whether I should go to the hospital or call an ambulance. It can be such as frightening experience that I’m sure many of you readers can relate to.

Doctors often won’t rely on symptoms alone because they can be very similar but here are several differences between these two conditions that you should be aware of:

1. A heart attack can be sudden and often doesn’t just involve a burning pain or chest discomfort but also a heavy pressure or tightness in your chest or arms. It can also spread to the face or back.

2. Most heartburn sufferers don’t complain of shortness of breath accompanied with chest discomfort which can be a sign of a heart attack.

3. Taking drugs or even natural home remedies like baking soda will often not alleviate the acid burning symptoms if you have a heart attack.

4. Heart attacks often trigger cold sweats. I don’t remember experiencing such a symptom whenever I had an acid reflux episode.

5. You may feel lightheaded, weak or dizzy when going through a heart attack.

6. You may experience discomfort in the shoulders area. This symptom usually doesn’t happen in heartburn sufferers.

But never take any risks. When in doubt, always call for an ambulance or seek immediate medical care. This can be life-saving.

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