Acid reflux chest pain and a heart attack can easily be mistaken for the same thing. However, they are not and that is why you need to know the difference – it could save your life.
Many people who have suffered acid reflux chest pain have mistaken it for a heart attack. This is an easy mistake to make. In terms of where the pain happens and its intensity . However, they are completely different as having a heart attack can be deadly serious. But, this does not mean acid reflux not serious, if left untreated it can become a problem.
Telling the difference is very important and could save your life.
What is Acid Reflux
This is a condition that causes the gastric acid and undigested food in your stomach to rise up into your esophagus. The esophagus is a long circular tube that connects the stomach to the mouth. At the bottom of the esophagus is a muscular valve that opens to allow food and drink into your stomach and closes to prevent leakage.
This muscle is known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Sometimes the LES does not open or close properly and this can allow the stomach acid to flow into your esophagus.
Acid Reflux Chest Pain Symptoms
The condition can cause a number of symptoms with the most common being heartburn however, other symptoms can include sore throat, back pain and of course chest pain.
The chest pain is a direct cause of heartburn. When the gastric acid makes contact with the sensitive lining of the esophagus it causes inflammation resulting in pain. You feel the chest pain because the esophagus is located under your breastbone. The chest pain can be mild and for some patients the pain can be quite severe. It is this severe chest pain that is often mistaken for a heart attack.
Most of us can experience heartburn from time to time, especially after a heavy meal or drinking coffee or alcohol. But, if the symptoms become persistent, it could be a sign that you have a chronic condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease. This title is often abbreviated to GERD.
Heart Attack Symptoms
With acid reflux chest pain the symptoms are going to be isolated to the chest area. However, with a heart attack it can be hard to identify because the signs are varied. A heart attack can happen suddenly without warning or it can happen gradually.
Below are a number of warning signs to look out;
- A clenching pressure or severe crushing pain in the chest
- Shortness of breath with or without chest pain.
- Pain or discomfort that spreads from the left arm to the neck and jaw.
- Feeling of light headiness, nausea and heavy sweating.
- Pressure building up in the chest that comes after or during periods of stress or physical activity.
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately, especially if you have a history of heart trouble.
Acid Reflux Chest Pain Treatment
Walk into any drug store and you will find a myriad of for non-prescriptive and prescriptive medication offering relief from your GERD and acid reflux symptoms. Antacids, Proton Pump Inhibitors or H2 blockers are used to treat acid reflux and they are designed to either neutralize, reduce or block the secretion of stomach acid.
We are told that too much acid is the enemy – however, a lack acid can actually make your acid reflux worse. Let me explain – gastric acid is required to breakdown food so nutrients can absorbed and they kill bacteria that enter our stomach from the outside.
Using antacids and other acid suppressing drugs can encourage the build up off disease causing bacteria. These bad bacteria can attack the thin lining of our stomachs causing peptic ulcers and yeast infections.
Acid reflux can effectively be treated by making a few lifestyle changes. The type of food you eat and how you eat it will have a direct impact on your acid reflux. To avoid acid reflux, avoid foods and habits that are likely to cause it. For example, fried foods are notoriously hard for us to digest and they also irritate the lining of the stomach. Chocolate and tomatoes are also a common trigger.
Alcohol is another irritant that destroys the fragile balance of good bacteria that are essential to our digestive health. Even the way you eat has an impact. Most people do not chew their food properly or they eat when they are under stress. This will only encourage your acid reflux chest pain to get worse.
Eat Your Way To Digestive Health
The health of your digestive system will affect your overall health in exactly same way. Good health or disease originate in your gut. The outcome is your choice – which one is going to be?
If you have opted for health, then you need a balanced digestive system. This requires you to have enough good bacteria living within your small and large intestine. The good guys support the health of your digestion, strengthen your immune system, inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and ensure the bad guys are kept under control.
Eating a diet of ‘hard to digest’ processed foods, alcohol, smoking and antibiotics can destroy your good bacteria leaving the path clear for bad bacteria to take over. When your digestive system becomes unbalanced – digestive disorders – including acid reflux begin.
To rebalance your digestive system you need to create the optimal environment for your good bacteria to grow back. This can be achieved naturally through prebiotics. These are insoluble carbohydrate fibers found naturally in vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
When your system is overrun by bad bacteria the environment becomes highly acidic. This chokes the life out of your beneficial bacteria, whilst fungi and yeast infections proliferate. However, this can be reversed by simply adding more prebiotics to your diet and omitting high fat processed foods.
Fast Track To Digestive Health
Reversing many years of bad eating habits will not happen overnight, it will take time. However, taking a natural prebiotic supplement can help you speed up the process enabling you to enjoy digestive health a lot faster.
That is why we wholeheartedly recommend MX Kiwi Biotic.
This premium digestive health supplement has high concentrations of prebiotics extracted from the kiwifruit, which is one of the most nutritious foods on the planets. Not only that, MX Kiwi Biotic is an excellent source of dietary fibre for cleansing the colon and keeping you regular.
One of its key benefits is alleviating acid reflux by ensuring your digestive system receives plenty digestive enzymes. These enzymes help improve absorption of nutrients and balance your stomachs ph (acidity) levels.
MX Kiwi Biotic is definitely one option to consider, when seeking a nutritional product to help cleanse your digestive system, reduce acid reflux chest pain, and improve your overall health.