Can you tell the difference?
Sudden chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack, but not only.
There are plenty of other less-serious conditions that might trigger chest pain.
Today, I will give you the know-how and help you to differentiate between them.
I strongly advise you to star this email and send it to your friends.
Who knows who might need this information.
Plus, you might even calm some anxious nerves while you're at it.
First, you need to know the difference between chest pains.
One is cardiac chest pain, which is related to your cardiovascular system, or a heart attack.
Noncardiac chest pain comes from other diseases and is not related to your cardiovascular system.
Let's start:
Is it a heart attack or heartburn?
If you suffer from GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, then you might experience recurrent chest pains which aren't at all related to your heart.
You see, acid reflux can leak up to your esophagus, causing you to feel a burning sensation in the center of your chest, right behind the breastbone or sternum.
In the US, 20% of Americans suffer from GERD.
Some other symptoms of this condition are:
- a sour or bad taste in the mouth
- bad breath
- tooth decay
- difficulty swallowing
- nausea and vomiting
- a hoarse voice
How do you recognize a heart attack?
Many symptoms can come along with a heart attack, including:
- intense pressure or tightness in the center of the chest
- a feeling of heaviness or weakness in one or both arms
- pain, numbness, or a tingling sensation in the arms, neck, jaw, lips, or stomach
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- nausea and vomiting
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- fatigue
- breaking out in a cold sweat
But the most common symptom of a heart attack is, of course, chest pain, which is typically localized in the center, or left side of the chest.
Sometimes it can be easily confused with heartburn or indigestion.
That's why it's very important to keep a close eye on any discomfort.
To be on the safe side, I highly advise you to seek professional help if you feel this type of pain.
But a heart attack might not be the reason why you feel this pain; it can be caused by other cardiovascular conditions like:
- Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called ischemic heart disease o
- Myocarditis
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
- Pulmonary hypertension
Or, it might not even have anything to do with your cardiovascular system.
Chest pain could come from:
- Pneumonia
- Peptic ulcer
- Costochondritis
- Esophageal spasms
- Panic attacks
The bottom line is that, if you feel unexplained chest pain, you should get checked by a doctor ASAP.