Knowing the Difference Between Heartburn and Heart Attacks
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and should be approached with caution and concern. But how do you know if the pain you feel in your chest is heartburn or a heart attack? While these two conditions share some of the same symptoms, their causes and outcomes are very different. Knowing when you are suffering from a heart attack can save your life.
To begin, heartburn is simply a symptom of a larger issue that really doesn’t have anything to do with the heart at all. It is generally associated with a burning sensation that resonates from the lower abdomen all the way through the neck. It can be very brief or last for several hours. Heartburn, also known as indigestion, can be caused from overeating, drinking too much alcohol or even lying down too quickly after a meal. All of these activities relax or weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve that keeps stomach acids from backing into the esophagus. If a person suffers from frequent or severe heartburn it could be a sign of a greater medical problem like acid reflux, gastroesophogeal reflux disease, ulcers, inflamed stomach lining and hernias. Seeking council from a physician is strongly advised in these cases.
Conversely, heart attacks are much more serious and generally produce more pronounced symptoms. Signs include sudden chest pains that produce pressure, tightening, squeezing and crushing feelings in the chest area that last for several minutes. This pain is likely to spread from the chest through the neck, jaw, back, shoulders and concentrate in the left arm. Shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating and nausea are also associated with heart attacks. All of symptoms should be considered dangerous especially if they occur during emotional of physical stress. It is important to note that not all heart attacks display these symptoms immediately. Some symptoms can occur quietly, dissipate, return and grow more severe.
If you have a history of heart disease in your family, it is especially important that you learn the difference between these two conditions. Knowing when you’re having a heart attack can save your life by allowing you to seek medical attention before severe damage to this vital organ occurs. Even after doing some research you are unsure as to whether the pain in your chest is heartburn or the signs of a heart attack, the safest course of action is to seek medical attention anyway. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
If you enjoyed this article, please bookmark it at del.icio.us »
This entry was posted on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 at 10:57 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
