In this season of holiday parties and overindulgence, millions of Americans will be left with painful indigestion. But when you feel that uncomfortable pain in your chest, how can you be sure it’s just heartburn and not a heart attack?
Indeed, “heartburn and heart attack (and even a panic attack) have some symptoms in common,” cardiologist April Stempein-Otero says in the December Family Circle. These include nausea as well as a heaviness, pressure and squeezing sensation in the midchest. As for the symptom differences, the article lists the following:
Heartburn
– Pain that appears right after a rich or heavy meal.
– Symptoms that disappear after taking a heartburn remedy.
– Pain that usually doesn’t radiate down the arm (though it’s possible).
Heart attack
– Pain that appears during or after exertion or emotional distress.
– Irregular heartbeat or pulse.
– Shortness of breath (especially in women).
– Dizziness or lightheadedness.
– Sudden cold sweat (more often in men).
– Pain radiating from the chest to the neck, jaw, shoulders or arm.
Death indoors
Staying indoors could be hazardous to your health, especially when colorless, odorless, tasteless carbon monoxide (CO) is released. CO is the most common cause of deaths from accidental poisoning in the United States, says a report in the December issue of the Harvard Health Letter. Some 15,000 people are treated for CO poisoning annually, and 500 die from it.
The most common source of CO is a faulty furnace. Other potential sources are gas stoves and dryers, water heaters, fireplaces and fuel-burning space heaters. For safety’s sake, be sure gas stoves have working exhaust fans. Have furnace and boiler vents inspected periodically to be sure they aren’t blocked. Have your chimney checked, and open the flue before using the fireplace. Install CO detectors.
Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath. If you suspect CO exposure, go outdoors immediately. Then call the fire department. Have your furnace and appliances checked before returning to your home.
Guy cancer exam
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men ages 15 to 25. It is almost always curable if caught early, so it’s important for young men to do self-exams once a month, according to the Testicular Cancer Resource Center in north suburban Riverwoods.
The center’s Web site, www.tcrc.acor.org, offers accurate, up-to-date information about testicular cancer and its treatment. It has a virtual library on the subject and also offers support. The site lists these how-to steps for a self-exam:
After a warm bath or shower, stand in front of a mirror and look for swelling.
Examine each testicle with both hands by rolling it gently between the thumb and fingers.
Check for lumps in the epididymis, the tubelike structure behind the testicle that carries sperm.
If you find a lump, see a urologist immediately.
A medicated society
Even though Americans make up just 5 percent of the world population, we buy 50 percent of all prescription medications, says Alan Cassels, a drug-policy researcher at the University of Victoria at British Columbia in Bottom Line Personal. He is concerned that we’re “overmedicalizing” all our problems when we may not need to because we’ve become too comfortable popping pills.
Before taking prescription drugs, be sure you really need them, he says. Sometimes, lifestyle changes work just as well. For reputable information on a drug’s benefits and dangers, check them out at these Web sites:
www.crbestbuydrugs.org, a free site from Consumer Reports that has information on cost-effective prescription choices.
www.worstpills.org, a free site from Public Citizen, a non-profit advocacy organization with information on hundreds of drugs.
The Medical Letter, which publishes critical appraisals of new drugs and comparative reviews of older drugs (26 issues, $89/year).
