Acid Reflux Chest Pain
Acid reflux in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when the sphincter at the border of the esophagus and the stomach opens at the wrong time or is too weak, letting the stomach contents wash up, or reflux, into the esophagus. Heartburn is the most common symptom in people with GERD. This Acid Reflux Chest Pain or discomfort that rises from the stomach up into the trunk is sometimes described as burning or sharp.
Heartburn frequently occurs after meals but can happen at any time during a day and can wake you up at night. It also tends to occur after you bend over, lie down, exercise, or experience high anxiety. Almost everybody experiences this acid reflux chest pain or discomfort, but persistent or frequent heartburn (more than two times a week over several months) is a characteristic of GERD.
Some people with GERD experience acid reflux chest pain so severe that they confuse it with the pain of a heart attack. Several differences between heartburn and heart attack have been noted. The classic description of cardiac chest pain is heavy, crushing, or dull pain below the breastbone or ribs, and it may spread out toward the shoulders, neck, or arms. The feeling may be not unlike a belt that is tightening around one’s chest. This chest pain is accompanied by shortness of breath or perhaps a cold sweat and is more often than not quickly relieved with nitroglycerin.
Acid reflux chest pain is typically burning that may extend upward. Pain from GERD tends to occur after meals and may be relieved with antacid. This pain can be comparable to cardiac chest pain in severity, and sophisticated testing may be necessary to distinguish whether it is acid reflux chest pain or cardiac chest pain. Cardiac chest pain and chest pain from GERD both have many of the same symptoms and occur in similar types of individuals such as older people and overweight people.
Chest pain that accompanies a heart attack may be inconsistent with the classic description, particularly for women, who may undergo pain in the abdomen or the back. If your chest pain lasts more than a few minutes, you should not try to diagnose yourself. Get immediate medical attention instead, even if you suspect acid reflux chest pain rather than a heart attack.
Chest pain is one of the most common reasons people go to the emergency room. Many of these people are actually suffering a heart attack, but some turn out to be in the clutch of a brutal heartburn.
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