Food plays a large role in many Thanksgiving traditions, but how do you know when that twinge in your chest is caused by too much stuffing and pumpkin pie or something more serious?
Dr. Balil Khan, a cardiologist with Middle Georgia Heart and Vascular, and also a staff physician at the Coliseum Heart Institute in Macon, stopped by Eyewitness News Mornin' to share some important differences.
He explains that many of the symptoms of "heartburn" and true cardiac distress are similar.
Someone experiencing indigestion or acid reflux can have burning in the chest, stomach, or upper abdomen, bloating, belching, nausea and vomiting, an acidic taste in the mouth, or a growling or painful stomach.
A person having a heart attack though, may experience more severe symptoms, including chest discomfort in the center of the chest. This kind of pain, Dr. Khan says, either doesn't go away, or disappears and comes back. He explains it can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
But the pain is not always limited to the chest. Someone can feel discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
Other symptoms include shortness of breath, a cold sweat, nausea, or feeling light headed.
Dr. Balil Khan offers these words of advice: "It's important, if you think you might be having a heart attack, to go to the hospital immediately. Don't wait around."
He says many people hesitate to leave family gatherings because they don't want to be separated from company, but being responsive to your body can be the key to ensuring many more holiday gatherings with loved ones.