Is It Just Acid Reflux or Something More? When to Take Chest Pain Seriously

Your heart is one of the most important organs in the human body, and a necessary driver of human life. Staying on top of your heart health and being aware of the symptoms of heart disease is incredibly important.

At Heart and Vascular Care, our team shares a dedication to providing relevant, scientifically backed guidance and advice to residents of Plano and McKinney, Texas. We hope that your heart stays healthy throughout your life, but if you need cardiovascular services, we hope you turn to us for compassionate care.

Today, we’re here to discuss how easily acid reflux, commonly known as heartburn, can actually be a sign of a heart problem.

Acid reflux (heartburn) is a digestive health matter

Acid reflux develops when acid from your stomach moves upward through your lower esophageal sphincter and into the lower portion of your esophagus. Stomach acids are meant to help break down your food within your stomach, and they can easily irritate the lining of your esophagus when they move outside of the stomach.

Acid reflux is common in pregnant women and can also develop in people who are obese, smokers, and those who consume large meals. Things like bending over, eating a late dinner, or lying down after meals can trigger heartburn.

Acid reflux creates a burning sensation within your chest. That burning can range in severity from mild to severe, and it can last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more.

How to tell the difference between heartburn and heart issues

Chest pain is a sign of a heart attack (as well as many other heart conditions). That pain can feel very much like heartburn, and it isn’t always easy to know the difference.

If you’re having a heart issue, getting treated as quickly as possible can have a direct impact on the outcome. It’s essential to listen to the messages your body sends and take action right away.

But no one wants to call an ambulance or head to the emergency room only to be told they have acid reflux. So let’s talk about how to tell the difference between these two conditions.

While both acid reflux and heart issues can cause chest pain, if the discomfort is due to acid reflux, there will likely be other things going on at the same time.

Here are some additional symptoms of acid reflux that often accompany chest discomfort:

Sour taste in the mouth
Burping
Hiccups
Chronic cough
Sore throat
Difficulty swallowing
Regurgitation of food
Stomach bloating

If your chest pain stems from a heart health issue, you might notice these symptoms:

Pain in your jaw, neck, shoulders, back, or arms
Nausea
Breaking into a cold sweat
Shortness of breath
Lightheadedness
Fatigue

It might also be helpful to think about the circumstances that led to a burning sensation in your chest. If you’ve recently consumed a large or especially spicy meal, or if you notice that your symptoms usually happen after meals, then you might have acid reflux.

Of course, any chest pain that worries you or that doesn’t seem to be connected to another issue should always prompt you to seek professional medical care. At Heart and Vascular Care, we leave room in our schedule to see patients who are concerned about any form of chest pain.

You can call our office to find out when you can come in, or use our online booking tool to check appointment availability.