Causes of chest pain: acid reflux, GERD or heart attack

Chest pain is a horrible and terrifyiny experience which may leane you and your family scared, confused and numb, it leaves you with alot of questions and being scared your well being and life. Almost everyone who experience a bad chest pain thinks it is a heart attack heart and start panicing. Well, chest pain is a common symptom of heart attack but it can arise for various different reasons like acid reflux, GERD, heart burn etc. we are not saying that you should not take it seriously. We are trying to make a point that it can be arise from different other reasons so you should not panic and meet your health care immediately and discuss it with them. If it not a heart attacks, what was the root cause for the pain? Its treatment whether it was a reflux or something then it needs medication or a healthy diet and lifestyle change will be enough for it.

Today, we will try to understand the difference complications, its cause, symptoms, effects on our body,  its management and treatment and despit the common symptom of chest pain how diiferent it is from a heart attack. Which will help you understand the situation well and seek right medical help when needed.

Symptoms of acid reflux and GERD:

Acid Reflux - You have many components like acid, gases and different type of juice and liquid which helps in food digestions. These  components are suposed to travel downward in your intestines but sometimes after having a rich meal or lied down right after having the dinner. The acids and gases inside your stomach flows upward toward your esophagus and throat. It can cause irritation to the tissue of esophagus near your chest which causes the chest pain. Acid reflux is an uncomfortable experience but it is not a disease, however having a regular acid reflux like twice a week for a couple of months then it can do real damage to your tissues and you need a proper medication to cure it.

GERD - The full form of GERD is gastroesphageal reflux disease, is medical term for chronic acid reflux in your esophagus. If you have acid reflux for several weeks, it means your body mechanism which is supposed to keep acid in your stomach only and do not allow it to reach the esophagus is not working properly. GERD is a constant, mechanism problem and a health related threat which needs doctor’s attention and right medication and treatment plan to get rid of it.

Some of the common symptoms and signs of acid reflux and GERD are -

• Backwash - It is called regurgitation, in which feel like your food, acids and liquid is moving upward in esophagus and throat after eating. Which increased when you bend or lie down in bed.
• Burning feeling - When acid reaches in esophagus it burns the tiisue of your esophagus, which feels like a burning sensation in your chest, called heart burn and when it feel closer to your stomach we simply calls it, indigestion.
• Non-cardiac chest pain - Some people do not feel the burning sensation during an episode of acid reflux. They feel a terrible chest pain because sometimes esophagus can trigger the same nerves as heart realted pain triggers. This is the situation people may confuse this pain with a heart attack.
• Because of the acid in your esophagus you may have sore throat which makes it hard for you to swallow your food.
• It may also trigger symptoms common to asthma like coughing, wheezing and short on breath.

Symptoms of heart attack:

The most common symptom of a heart attack is chest pain. It can be explained by tightness, heavy aching, and burning pain in the middle to the left side of your chest. It can few different symptoms as well which is very much similar to acid reflux and GERD.

These are some other symptoms of heart attack if you have these symptoms along with severe chest pain, rush to the hospital and get medical help as soon as possible -

• Pain in one or both arms
• Severe pain in shoulder
• Breathing problem
• Increased Heart rate 
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sweating
• Heart palpitation
• Fatigue
   

Difference between acid reflux and heart attack:

If you experience a chest pain and heart burn with bloating, constipation, weight gain, belching, flatulence and indigestion. Try to remember what did you eat in your last meal whether you eat heavy oily food or processed or expired food item which may cause acid reflux or not.

Whereas in case of heart attack chest pain is combined with other symptoms such as shoulder pain, pain in one or both of your arms, sweating , intense pain, nausea , increased heartbeat. If you have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholestrol, these diseases can also play their part in cardiac arrest or heart attack.

However, if you experience the chest pain you should meet the doctor without delaying for your own well being. GERD, acid reflux and heart attack have similar symptoms but if you or someone in your family experience chest pain go to doctor immediately. Do not try draw your own conclusion whether its acid reflux or heart attack only professional person can help you in such circumstances.