Indigestion and heart attack symptoms can be similar, leading to misdiagnosis. Chest pain from a heart attack may radiate to the left arm or shoulder, while indigestion is generally limited to the chest and stomach. Pain relief tactics can help distinguish between the two.
Indigestion and heart attack are related because many times patients who think they have heartburn or indigestion are actually suffering from a heart attack. Many of the sensations and symptoms associated with indigestion are also common with heart distress. This means that sometimes the symptoms of a heart attack go unnoticed or underestimated by the patient because he believes he is suffering from indigestion, which often results in a longer recovery or even death. In some cases, doctors may also have difficulty distinguishing between both conditions in patients complaining of generalized chest pain.
The reason many people may confuse indigestion symptoms with a heart attack is because both syndromes occur in close proximity to each other. The lower esophagus and upper stomach are located just above and below the heart muscle. The first symptoms of a heart attack are very similar to the burning sensation, discomfort and tightness associated with indigestion. In fact, many patients have gone to the emergency room believing they were having a heart attack, only to be told they were suffering from trapped intestinal gas that had risen in the upper digestive tract.
While sometimes subtle, there are some differences between indigestion and heart attack symptoms. Indigestion should generally be limited to the chest and stomach area, while a true heart attack can start there and radiate into the left arm or shoulder. If severe vomiting, nausea, or shortness of breath is present, it should be assumed that the patient is not suffering from indigestion and medical treatment should be sought.
While many believe that a heart attack is far more painful than indigestion, that’s not always the case. In some cases, intestinal gas or stomach acid can cause severe pain in the chest cavity that can easily be mistaken for a heart attack. Patients have described the sensations as stabbing, aching, or throbbing. This is why sometimes a doctor cannot tell the difference between indigestion and a heart attack until further tests are completed.
As a general rule, you may be able to tell the difference between indigestion and a heart attack by trying some basic pain relief tactics. For example, pain from indigestion can be relieved by changing to a more upright posture, while a heart attack would not be affected. Over-the-counter medications, such as antacids, may also help relieve indigestion symptoms, but they would have no effect on heart attack symptoms.
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