Female: You know your chest hurts but you do not know the cause. Is it heartburn or something more serious?
Male: Heartburn is an unpleasant condition that troubles almost everyone from time to time. But sometimes, symptoms that feel like heartburn maybe something more serious like Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or even a heart attack.
The most common symptom of heartburn is a burning feeling in the chest just behind the breastbone. It may then spread up into the neck area.
A person suffering from heartburn may also experience burning in the throat, trouble swallowing or a feeling of food sticking in the chest or throat. Occasionally, heartburn may cause chronic cough, a sore throat or a hoarse voice, particularly at night.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD occurs when there is a near constant reflux of stomach acids into the esophagus, which produces symptoms like everyday heartburn. Because of this, it can be hard to tell what is really going on in your body. GERD heartburn however occurs much more frequently, often everyday. It also tends to last for longer periods than basic heartburn.
Another symptom of GERD is regurgitation or the appearance of liquid, food particles or an acidic taste in the mouth. Regurgitation occurs when the upper esophageal sphincter or UES open slightly causing reflux matter to enter the mouth.
A final symptom of GERD is frequent and severe nausea that can lead to vomiting. Often, nausea appears in the absence of heartburn. Sometimes, chest pain is not heartburn or GERD but a heart attack. Although heart attack symptoms vary widely in form and severity, certain signs can help to signal a medical emergency.
Pain and heart attack tends to start in the chest but may often extend beyond it, to your shoulders, arms, back, neck, teeth or jaw. Severe pain in the left arm is a commonly reported symptom. Shortness of breath often accompanied by a cold, clammy sweat are also signs of a heart attack. Often, sufferers will feel like they need to sit down due to extreme lightheadedness or dizziness.
Most people can tell the difference between common heartburn and something more serious, but there are cases where a heart attack has been written off as a bad case of heartburn. For this reason, if you experience serious heartburn in conjunction with other symptoms, take one regular strength aspirin and call 911 for assistance immediately. It is clear that self-diagnosis of heartburn is not always a good idea. Often, that pain in your chest can be a case of GERD or worse, a heart attack. The bottom line is, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor if you experience heartburn more than several times a month or if you have concerns about acid reflux.
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