Chest pain can be confusing. It might be something minor like heartburn—or a serious emergency such as a heart attack. More than 6.5 million Americans visit emergency rooms each year for chest pain, and most cases are not life-threatening. Still, knowing the warning signs can help you respond quickly when it matters.
What Is Heartburn?
Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux. It causes a burning sensation in the chest or throat when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus. The discomfort may last minutes or several hours, especially after eating.
Common heartburn symptoms include:
- Burning chest pain
- Burping
- Sour taste in the mouth
- Nausea
- Hoarseness or chronic cough
- Regurgitating food
Heartburn is often triggered by spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, or acidic foods. Symptoms may worsen when lying down because stomach acid can more easily flow into the esophagus.
Occasional heartburn is common. However, frequent symptoms may indicate gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can damage the esophagus over time.
What Is a Heart Attack?
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked or severely reduced, causing heart muscle damage.
Heart attack symptoms may include:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Pain spreading to the arms, jaw, neck, or back
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
- Lightheadedness
Symptoms can appear suddenly or start as mild discomfort that gradually worsens. Women are more likely than men to experience less typical symptoms such as back pain, nausea, or vomiting.
How to Tell the Difference
Heartburn and heart attack symptoms can overlap, but there are some key differences.
Location
- Heartburn: usually felt behind the breastbone and may move into the throat
- Heart attack: often centered in the chest and may spread to the arms, jaw, neck, or back
Type of Pain
- Heartburn: burning sensation
- Heart attack: pressure, squeezing, or tightness
Timing
- Heartburn: often occurs after eating or when lying down
- Heart attack: can occur anytime and is not related to meals
Heartburn usually improves after digestion or with antacids. Heart attack symptoms often persist or worsen over time.
When to Seek Medical Help
If chest pain is severe, persistent, or spreading to the arms, back, jaw, or stomach, seek emergency care immediately. Difficulty breathing, nausea, or lightheadedness alongside chest pain also require urgent evaluation.
When in doubt, it’s always safest to seek medical attention.
Reducing Your Risk
Healthy habits can help reduce the risk of both heartburn and heart disease.
To prevent heartburn:
- Limit alcohol, caffeine, spicy, and acidic foods
- Avoid lying down within two hours after eating
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals
- Elevate your head while sleeping
- Wear loose clothing to reduce stomach pressure
To lower heart attack risk:
- Eat a balanced diet low in saturated fat and processed foods
- Stay physically active
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Manage stress
- Quit smoking
Chest pain should never be ignored. While heartburn is common and usually harmless, a heart attack is a medical emergency. Understanding the differences can help you take the right action and get the care you need quickly.
Source: Adapted from “Is It Heartburn or Heart Attack,” Medical Cities blog, February 2026, by Tayla Holman
Edited by Zanda Hilger, LPC, Founder, Family Caregiver & Program Manager for Family Caregivers Online
We hope this information is helpful to you in the important work you do as a family caregiver.
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