# What is the difference between heartburn and esophageal rapture? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 2, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068 "2005-02-02T23:06:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/1 "2005-02-02T23:06:34Z")
Deadlines bring stress to dre2xl, and stress brings out the hypochrondiac in dre2xl (as well as the heartburn). For the peace of my stressed-out, hypochrondiac mind, how do you tell the difference between heartburn and esophageal rapture? On Google, symptoms for both look pretty much the same… ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/2 "2005-02-03T00:12:49Z")
Esophageal rapture is found primarily in individuals who have eaten cars, bars, and/or guitars. Esophageal _rupture_, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/3 "2005-02-03T00:14:43Z")
IANAD, but I’d wager that esophageal rupture would involve a lot of blood. Oh, you’re asking about esophageal rapture. Guess that’d be when your esophaus goes to heaven, with or without you. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/4 "2005-02-03T00:44:39Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > Esophageal rapture is found primarily in individuals who have eaten cars, bars, and/or guitars. Esophageal _rupture_, on the other hand… Made me laugh out loud. Thanks! 😃 _And it’s cataleptic_ Terminally dyspeptic Raaaaptuuure\* \*Reference to a Heamorrhage tune, in case that seems sorta random… ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/5 "2005-02-03T00:50:24Z")
ROTFLMAOPIMP… Y’all got me pretty damn good. 😃 I do deserve all that’s coming to me after that typo. _grin_ ---
**Author:** ![Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Can_Handle_the_Truth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/6 "2005-02-03T01:46:46Z")
Esophageal rapture is when your esophagus flies up to heaven when Jesus gives the shout. The esophagus’s of dead people will rise first. Those of living people will join them shortly therafter. See I Thessalonians. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/7 "2005-02-03T01:57:47Z")
You have a good sense of humor, **dre2xl**. 😃 I thought about posting something more serious after ribbing you but realised I might run afoul of the anti-medical-advice rule. If the thread were simply a question about straight facts relating to esophageal rupture, I might feel safer, but you’ve posed the question in such a way that your OP appears to be an attempt to diagnose yourself based on symptoms you fear are related to that rather serious problem. So here’s what I’m gonna do. I’m going to link to [this](http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2811.htm) site, and suggest that if you still have concerns, call your doctor. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/8 "2005-02-03T02:02:14Z")
Theres a “no medical-advice” rule? … Uh oh. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/9 "2005-02-03T02:03:59Z")
> [@dre2xl](#): > > Deadlines bring stress to dre2xl, and stress brings out the hypochrondiac in dre2xl (as well as the heartburn). For the peace of my stressed-out, hypochrondiac mind, how do you tell the difference between heartburn and esophageal rapture? On Google, symptoms for both look pretty much the same… About $5,000 and a week in the hospital, I’d guess. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/10 "2005-02-03T02:05:02Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > About $5,000 and a week in the hospital, I’d guess. $5,000 just for the operation to fix it, I meant. The week in the hospital would be considerably more. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/11 "2005-02-03T02:09:21Z")
Heartburn causes symptoms like sour taste, burning pain in the upper stomach or sternum and/or upper back, gassiness, pain worse when lying down or at night, etc. Heartburn is also called GERD (GORD in the UK since the English spell it “oesphagus” – freaks). Differentiating GERD from stomach ulcers and heart attacks is NOT easy and takes up a lot of my time in the emergency room. Rapture is a state of bliss. Esophageal rapture is a state of bliss caused by eating good sushi, Cheshire cheese, Fruit Stripe bubble gum, Saxby’s ginger beer or a good homeade barbeque burger. Esophageal rupture, medically speaking, is a big deal. Kills people. Usually need a reason for the esophagus to rupture – car accident, gun shot, eating too much sushi. Painful, and can often feel air beneath the skin that feels a bit like crackling Velcro (subcutaneous emphysema). Try googling Boerhaave’s syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/12 "2005-02-03T02:11:19Z")
Esophageal rupture is _very_ uncommon unless someone is mucking about with one’s esophagus, or experiencing direct trauma. It’s possible to tear the esophagus with violent vomiting, but that is not real common either. The key sign is vomiting either bright red blood (fresh) or a nasty coffee-ground like material (digested blood). Again, not at all common. GERD, however is far more common. So if one has heartburn in the chest, and acid in the back of the throat, especially with lying down, or occuring at night, I’d say the odds are 99.9999% in favor of it being heartburn and not rupture. Personally I’ve treated thousands of patients who’ve complained of reflux symptoms. None of them were esophageal rupture, and maybe two were esophageal tears. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/13 "2005-02-03T02:59:27Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > So if one has heartburn in the chest, and acid in the back of the throat, especially with lying down, or occuring at night, I’d say the odds are 99.9999% in favor of it being heartburn and not rupture. Thanks; I guess that settles it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/14 "2005-02-03T03:05:20Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > You have a good sense of humor, **dre2xl**. 😃 You guys are all killing me. LOL Funny jokes are funny, even if you’re on the receiving side. 🙂 > [@](#): > > you’ve posed the question in such a way that your OP appears to be an attempt to diagnose yourself based on symptoms you fear are related to that rather serious problem. Sorry; I thought I was making it clear that I knew that I was being a hypochrondaic and all I need was to know the difference between the 2, or I would’ve described my symptoms. Next time I’ll remember that rule and leave no doubt. _looks at the link on eMedicine_ _realizes she does not understand 7 out of 9 symptoms given_ But, hey, no fever, no rupture, and that’s all that counts. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/15 "2005-02-03T03:09:11Z")
**Dr\_Paprika** makes a good point, as usual. Don’t assume any chest pain is automatically GERD. It could be your heart. But I’d bet it’s not esophageal rupture! ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/16 "2005-02-03T04:29:02Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Theres a “no medical-advice” rule? > > … > > Uh oh. Yeah, well…whatever, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mermaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@The\_Mermaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mermaid)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/17 "2005-02-03T12:31:51Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Esophageal rupture is _very_ uncommon unless someone is mucking about with one’s esophagus, or experiencing direct trauma. It’s possible to tear the esophagus with violent vomiting, but that is not real common either. The key sign is vomiting either bright red blood (fresh) or a nasty coffee-ground like material (digested blood). Again, not at all common. > > GERD, however is far more common. So if one has heartburn in the chest, and acid in the back of the throat, especially with lying down, or occuring at night, I’d say the odds are 99.9999% in favor of it being heartburn and not rupture. > > Personally I’ve treated thousands of patients who’ve complained of reflux symptoms. None of them were esophageal rupture, and maybe two were esophageal tears. > > QtM, MD Wouldn’t you expect to see varices long before an actual rupture. (Barring direct trauma of course.) I took care of a patient whose varices ruptured and it looked like something had been slaughtered in the room. I swear there was blood on the ceiling. A Sengstaken-Blakemore tube was inserted in the room and he went straight to surgery to have them repaired. Needed about 5 or 6 units of PRBC’s in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-esophageal-rapture/288068/18 "2005-02-03T23:49:39Z")
> [@The Mermaid](#): > > Wouldn’t you expect to see varices long before an actual rupture. (Barring direct trauma of course.) > > I took care of a patient whose varices ruptured and it looked like something had been slaughtered in the room. I swear there was blood on the ceiling. Ruptured varices are different from a ruptured esophagus. And one won’t see varices unless one looks for them. I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking.