Complications (2)
- Esophageal cancer
- Barrett's esophagus
Lifestyle and home remedies (1)
- Weight-loss goals: 10 tips for success
Prevention (1)
- Bloating, belching and intestinal gas: How to avoid them
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continued:
Heartburn or chest pain: When is it heart attack?
How would you know if it's your heart?
It can be difficult or even impossible to tell what's causing chest pain. Be on the lookout for these heart-related warning signs:
- Sudden pressure, tightening, squeezing or crushing pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes
- Pain spreading to the back, neck, jaw, shoulders or arms — especially the left arm
- Chest discomfort accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness or nausea
- Pressure or tightness in the chest during physical activity or when you're under emotional stress
When should you get medical help?
Occasional bouts of heartburn are common. If you have persistent heartburn or take antacids daily, consult your doctor. Your heartburn may be a symptom of GERD or another condition.
If the heartburn seems worse or different from normal — especially if it occurs during physical activity or is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, nausea or pain radiating into your shoulder and arm — get emergency help immediately. These signs and symptoms may indicate a heart attack. In addition, seek medical attention immediately if you experience new chest discomfort and you have had a heart attack before, have heart disease or diabetes, smoke, are overweight, or have high cholesterol. Proper diagnosis and prompt treatment may save your life.
Previous page(2 of 2)
- Heartburn. American Gastroenterological Association. http://www.gastro.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=848. Accessed March 8, 2009.
- Heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest warning signs. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3053. Accessed March 24, 2009.
- Heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux (GER), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/. Accessed March 24, 2009.
- Castell D. Chest pain of esophageal origin. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 8, 2009.
- Meisel JL. Differential diagnosis of chest pain in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 24, 2009.
