Heartburn – Or Heart Attack?
You’re feeling a burning sensation in your chest. Is it just a case of heartburn? Or the first signs of a serious heart attack? Answering those questions can be the difference between life and death. So how do you know?
Heartburn Symptoms
Heartburn has nothing to do with your heart. It occurs when a small amount of digestive acid leaks out of the stomach and into your throat. People with heartburn experience a burning sensation, usually after lying down, bending or eating. Sometimes there is a bitter taste in the mouth.
Heart Attack Symptoms
Like heartburn, a heart attack can start with mild chest pain or upper body discomfort. Indeed, most heart attack symptoms begin slowly. The pain often spreads to the back, neck, jaw, stomach and arms, especially the left arm. Other heart attack symptoms include:
- Sudden and severe pressure, pain, or tightening in the center of the chest (However, in many cases, women having a heart attack do not experience chest pain.)
- Shortness of breath
- Chest discomfort with sweating, nausea, dizziness and lightheadedness
- When in doubt, play it safe and call 9-1-1 within the first five minutes after symptoms occur.