Article

Angina and Reflux Part 1: Decoding Chest Pain

Published on Thursday, January 29, 2026
by Kitty Broihier

Health & Wellness

Angina and Acid Reflux Part 1: Is it heartburn or a heart problem?

Is it time for an antacid or an ambulance? This Part 1 guide will help you distinguish between heart-related chest pain and reflux symptoms.

Chest pain can be scary, and the stress of not knowing what is causing it certainly doesn’t help. What does help? Knowing the basic differences between these often-confused conditions: how they feel, their symptoms, and typical triggers.

Understanding Chest Pain

Severe heartburn is no picnic, but neither is angina. Not to be overly dramatic, but being able to differentiate between the two may be a matter of life or death. Simply put, both conditions cause chest pain. However, while these conditions do sometimes co-exist, it’s more likely that the pain you’re experiencing is due to either angina or reflux.

Angina, sometimes called angina pectoris, affects about 11 million Americans. It occurs when one or more arteries block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to part of the heart. Reflux or its more severe variation, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), on the other hand, is not caused by a lack of blood flow. Instead, it’s due to the flow of digestive “juices” from the stomach coming back up the esophagus, where they cause pain.

Angina: Chest Pain From the Heart

There are several types of angina, and it doesn’t always require emergency treatment. Most of the time, angina comes and goes. But, since heart disease is a leading cause of death in the U.S., it pays to be informed and proactive.

Stable angina is the most common type. Common triggers of stable angina include physical exertion, emotional distress or stress, and exposure to cold weather. Physical exertion during wintertime, such as shoveling/snowblowing during a snowstorm, is a frequent cause for some. In fact, in those who have it, stable angina is quite predictable. Stable angina subsides with rest and medicine.
Microvascular angina can cause pain or other symptoms that last longer than is typical for stable angina, and are triggered more by regular daily tasks and mental strain than physical effort. Its symptoms may feel a little different, too—more gastrointestinal-related—than other types of angina (nausea, stomach pain).
Unstable angina begins suddenly, unpredictably, and rapidly gets worse. This type of angina can lead to a heart attack and is considered a medical emergency.
Variant angina, also known as Prinzmetal angina or vasospastic angina, is rare. It occurs in younger, healthier people than the other two types, and happens during sleep or rest. It is managed with medication.

Important Note: To be on the safe side, if your chest pain does not subside with rest or prescribed medicine, call 911/emergency services. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

What Angina Feels Like

Experiencing an angina “attack” can be alarming, but if you can discern the symptoms, you’ll be better able to describe it to your doctor or emergency medical personnel. People who have angina may experience one or more of the following typical symptoms:

Pressure or squeezing sensation in the chest
Feeling of fullness in the torso
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Arm pain

Angina in Women

It’s important to note that women often don’t experience heart problems like angina in the same way that men do. While chest pain may be the most common symptom, there are other symptoms that don’t “point” to heart troubles—such as anxiety, excessive tiredness, upset stomach, and vomiting. Because of this, treatment is often delayed, and that puts women at high risk.

Acid Reflux (GERD): Chest Pain From the Esophagus

While the heart itself is not involved, the location of acid reflux pain earned the condition the nickname “heartburn.” Luckily, occasional reflux is not a life-or-death matter but a quality-of-life issue. And recurring reflux not only causes pain, but can have some lasting health implications, too.

What Reflux-Related Chest Pain Feels Like

Acid reflux and its more persistent form, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), most commonly present as pain right in the middle of your chest or around your heart. So, while “heartburn” isn’t exactly accurate, the pain it causes is legitimate.

A burning sensation in the chest (usually near the base of the sternum) is by far the most common description of reflux pain. But not everyone feels reflux the same way. Here are some other ways it’s described:

Dull ache in the chest
Irritated or hoarse throat
Nausea
Pain when swallowing

Associated Symptoms of Reflux

Aside from the pain associated with acid reflux or GERD, there are other symptoms that can help you differentiate reflux from angina:

Regurgitation is when the stomach contents move back up into your throat or mouth. This is not a common symptom of angina, but it is a pretty classic symptom of GERD or reflux.
A sour or acidic taste in the mouth is a less common symptom of GERD. When that taste is accompanied by an excess of saliva, it’s often called “water brash.” Water brash can feel like heartburn in the throat.

Common Triggers of Reflux Chest Pain

There are several common triggers for reflux, many of which can be addressed through lifestyle changes. For example, modifying how and what you eat can make a big difference in whether you experience reflux burn after your meal. Similarly, the way you position yourself after eating can also help prevent (or promote) reflux.