Upper Abdominal or Chest Pain
Chest pain is caused by discomfort when the muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood. It may be described as a pressure or squeeze in the chest. Linked to GERD, chest pain is associated with a sour taste or a sensation of food re-entering the mouth, trouble swallowing, and pain that gets better or worse when there is a change in body position.
According to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), chest discomfort related to gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is called noncardiac chest pain (NCCP). The ACG explained that noncardiac chest pain, or NCCP, could imitate angina pain or the chest pain rooted in the heart. Chest pain from the heart can also occur in the shoulders, neck, jaw, abdomen, or back. But it is often centered behind the sternum or underneath it in an area known as the epigastrium.
Esophageal spasms are also linked to chest pain. When the muscle tightens around the food tube, a person may experience esophageal spasms. This muscle contraction can also cause pain in the throat and the chest’s upper area, triggering gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.
