Holiday Ayo -  There are many causes of pain that occurs in the chest. Starting from symptoms of acid reflux disease or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) to heart attacks. 

To avoid confusion, here's how to differentiate chest pain due to acid reflux disease and heart attacks.

Quoted from Medical News Today, chest pain due to disease or heart attacks can be sensations:

Pressure

Soreness Heavy Feels full

Feels tense

Pain appears

Burning sensation appears

In contrast, chest pain due to GERD tends to feel like an intense stabbing or burning sensation.

This condition is felt just below the surface of the skin. Chest pain due to the heart can also worsen with movement and heavy breathing.

While heartburn usually does not worsen with physical activity.

Accompanying Symptoms Symptoms that accompany chest pain are an important sign of whether it is due to a heart attack or not.

Signs that can occur together with chest pain due to heart disease include:

Shortness of breath.

Irregular heartbeat.

Dizziness or lightheadedness.

Numbness.

Pain or discomfort in other parts of the body, such as the arms, neck, jaw, shoulders, and back.

Symptoms that suggest your chest pain is caused by heartburn or GERD, including:

Pain or difficulty swallowing.

Bloating.

Burping or hiccups.

Bad breath.

A sore or irritated throat or a bad or sour taste in your mouth.

Common symptoms of a heart attack are pain or discomfort that usually occurs in the center or left side of the chest. 

This pain can come and go, and its severity can range from mild to severe. Sometimes it also feels like heartburn or indigestion. 

However, not everyone who has a heart attack experiences chest pain. Heart attack symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, and can appear slowly or very suddenly. 

Other symptoms of a heart attack include: 

* Severe pressure or tightness in the center of the chest.

* A feeling of heaviness or weakness in one or both arms pain, numbness, or tingling sensations in the arms, neck, jaw, lips, or stomach.

* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. * Nausea and vomiting.

* Dizziness or lightheadedness.

* Fatigue.

* Cold sweats.

This is in line with the explanation from heart and blood vessel specialist Dr. Basuni Radi, SpJP.

He explained that GERD and heart disease do have similar symptoms. However, pain due to heart disease is usually related to the activities carried out.

"So, GERD does have the same complaints as pain, a burning sensation in the chest, and then there is a feeling of pressure in the chest. That's why it is often misunderstood as people who have coronary heart problems," said Dr. Basuni.

"But, in general, those who have coronary heart disease usually initially arise when the heart load increases, for example when walking, being active, when angry, stressed. But, when resting, it disappears," he continued. 

Meanwhile, chest pain in GERD is usually related to food intake. For example, eating too late or too early. In addition, the pain due to GERD tends to be longer. 

This is different from pain in heart problems which will decrease when resting. 

“For GERD, there are also those who are in constant pain. That's why it is often misunderstood. When having heart disease, it is thought to be GERD, or vice versa when GERD turns out to be a heart attack,' 

Seeing this condition, Dr. Basuni suggested to immediately see a doctor when experiencing symptoms such as sudden heartburn and cold sweats. This condition can occur when the heart muscle lacks oxygen.