Heart attack or heart burn: The different signs to spot – when it’s a medical emergency
What's the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest?
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According to the Mayo Clinic, heart burn, “is discomfort or…pain caused by digestive acid moving into the tube the carries food to your stomach”.
In contrast, the NHS says that a heart attack is, “a serious medical emergency in which the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked”.
Both a heart attack and heart burn have their own set of symptoms.
Heartburn normally stars with a burning feeling in your upper abdomen.
This is a pain that moves up into the chest
The NHS says you may also experience an unpleasant and sour taste in your mouth as a result of the stomach acid.
Further symptoms of heartburn include a cough or hiccups that keep coming back.
You may also have a hoarse voice, bad breath, bloating and feel sick (nauseous).
Similarly, a heart attack also starts with a chest pain, although this is where the similarities end.
Your chest in the event of a heart attack will feel like it’s being pressed on by a heavy object.
This pain can spread to the jaw, neck, arms and back.
The NHS says that you’ll feel a shortness of breath, feel weak and/or light-headed.
Feelings of anxiety can also accompany a heart attack.
In terms of treatment, there are a few simple ways to treat heart burn.
Try raising one end of your bed by a minimum of 10cm so that your chest and head are above the level of your stomach.
Avoid eating the food that triggers your heart burn along with small, more frequent meals.
It’s also a bad idea to drink or smoke if you’re looking to get rid of your heartburn.
Along with lifestyle changes, you can also buy medicines from pharmacies that will help ease the heart burn.
In the event of a heart attack, you need to take much more urgent action.
You must call 999 immediately, from there the hospital and medical staff will be able to provide a range of treatments depending on the severity of your heart attack.
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