Acid reflux can cause heartburn, which causes pain in the chest that may radiate to the back. People may also experience pain in the neck and throat. Acid reflux and back pain may also share some of the same risk factors. Having obesity, carrying excess weight, and smoking may all lead to acid reflux.
You have a sharp, burning feeling just below your breastbone or ribs. The chest pain can be accompanied by an acidic taste in your mouth, regurgitation of food, or a burning in your throat. Pain generally doesn't spread to your shoulders, neck, or arms, but it can.
If you are experiencing chronic cases of GERD and heartburn, you may notice an increased intensity in your symptoms. Your chest pain may radiate to your back between your shoulder blades, lower back, and down into your abdomen. You should visit a doctor if your heartburn is manifesting as increased back pain.
Heartburn may last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. It should go away when the last meal you ate has passed out of your stomach. Once your stomach has emptied its contents, there should be nothing left to come back up (reflux).
Antacids provide fast heartburn relief. They start to work in seconds* to neutralize stomach acid, making your stomach contents less acidic and reducing the chances that acidic liquid will leak into your esophagus (the muscular tube that connects your mouth and stomach).
One significant difference is that a heart attack usually feels like pressure, tightness or squeezing—rather than pain. The feeling may radiate up toward the left shoulder, arm and neck. Heartburn tends to feel more like a burning sensation, and it may travel to the throat.
In general, rib pain makes it hard for you to take a deep breath, twist your body or put pressure on your chest. A range of conditions can cause sore ribs, include a pulled muscle, bruised or broken rib, or even acid reflux.
Acid reflux is known to cause burning pain in your chest and throat which can then pass on to your back. The contents of the stomach, when pushed back into the esophagus, can irritate the tissues in the organ, thus triggering pain and discomfort in the chest and throat and, eventually, the back.
Acid reflux will usually progress to GERD given enough time and/or lack of treatment. Because of the intensity of heartburn associated with GERD, pain may radiate from the referred area of the esophagus to your lower back.
Does gastritis cause back pain? Can gastric cause back pain? The answer is yes! Trapped gas in the digestive system can cause upper back pain between shoulder blades, cramps, and bloating, adding pressure to the back.
If your chest pain is centered beneath your breastbone, gets worse with exertion, improves with rest or radiates to both arms, it is more likely to be angina. Chest pain that gets worse when lying down or bending over is more likely to be caused by GERD.
Common characteristics of esophageal pain include sensations of burning, pressing, stabbing, or gripping. The pain is usually located in the anterior chest, throat, and epigastric area, and can radiate to the neck, back, or upper arms.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Also known commonly as heartburn, acid reflux can produce shoulder blade pain that resembles that of a heart attack. It will likely accompany upper chest symptoms. Sufferers of GERD, a more serious form of acid reflux, report that heartburn pain is sharp and in the central chest.
Acid reflux — The area between the shoulder blades can be painful due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
Though similar to angina chest pain, a heart attack is usually a more severe, crushing pain usually in the center or left side of the chest and is not relieved by rest. Sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, or severe weakness may accompany the pain.
Drinks you can try at home to improve acid reflux include alkaline water and herbal tea, specifically licorice, ginger, or chamomile tea. Does drinking water help acid reflux? Drinking water can help to balance the pH of a particularly acidic meal (which can trigger acid reflux in some people).
Drinks such as ginger tea, certain fruit and vegetable juices, and plant-based milks may benefit people experiencing acid reflux and heartburn. Avoiding citrus juices, carbonated beverages, and alcohol can also help to reduce symptom frequency and severity.
Foods To Avoid: Common Triggers Of Acid Reflux
Fatty or greasy foods. Chocolate. Mint. Acidic foods and drinks, such as citrus fruits or juices, tomatoes, garlic, and onions.
If the pain is not relieved shortly after taking antacids, or is accompanied by these symptoms, seek emergency medical care: Squeezing/tightening in the chest. Feeling out of breath. Pain, aching or discomfort radiating from the chest to the arms, back or neck.
There are several different esophageal disorders that can cause noncardiac chest pain, including: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Otherwise known as chronic acid reflux, this is the most common cause of noncardiac chest pain, accounting for 50% to 60% of cases.
People without a history of heartburn can suddenly develop heartburn as a result of eating certain foods, some eating patterns, drinking, and smoking. Stress, anxiety, certain medications, and some medical conditions can also cause it.