Articles
Heartburn or heart attack: When to worry
Content
How much do the symptoms of heartburn and heart attack overlap?
What's the best thing to do if you have chest pain and you're not sure what's causing it?
What is heartburn?
What signs and symptoms are more likely to occur with a heart attack than with heartburn?
Can other digestive symptoms cause chest pain?
What is heartburn?
Heartburn is discomfort or actual pain caused by digestive acid moving into the tube that carries swallowed food to your stomach (esophagus).
Typical features of heartburn include:
- Starts as a burning sensation in the upper abdomen and moves up into the chest
- Usually occurs after eating or while lying down or bending over
- May awaken you from sleep, especially if you have eaten within two hours of going to bed
- Is usually relieved by antacids
- May be accompanied by a sour taste in your mouth — especially when you're lying down
- May be accompanied by a small amount of stomach contents rising up into the back of your throat (regurgitation)