Many people often brush off upper abdominal discomfort asacidity or gas, especially after a heavy meal. However, health experts stress that not all stomach pain is benign. For instance, aliver cyst— a fluid‑filled sac on the liver — can cause persistent upper right abdominal pain, fullness, bloating, or nausea, symptoms that may mimic digestive issues.
More worryingly,upper stomach pain can sometimes signal a heart attack, especially in adults over 40. Heart‑related discomfort may feel like pressure, burning, or indigestion, and can be mistaken for gastric problems. In heart attacks, this discomfort may accompanysweating, dizziness, breathlessness, or pain spreading to the jaw or arm.
Because theliver, stomach, heart and other organs lie closely together, pain from one organ can be felt near another, making self‑diagnosis risky. Doctors recommend that anyone with sudden or unexplained upper abdominal pain get amedical evaluation — including an ECG to rule out cardiac causes and abdominal ultrasound to check for liver issues — rather than assuming it’s just acidity.
Prompt medical attention can be life‑saving, especially in cardiac emergencies. Understanding when stomach pain is a simple digestive issue and when it warrants urgent care is crucial — don’t let a potentially serious condition be dismissed as “just gas.”
