


People who take medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen rarely experience acid reflux, but patients that have GERD are more likely to experience symptoms of heartburn and chest pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) This is why it is so crucial for patients to seek medical help if they experience heartburn regularly, or their chest pain becomes more severe. The stress from managing acid reflux can also lead to a feedback loop, where the repeated strain on the body makes it more likely to develop into GERD. Most theories suggest that elevated levels of stress hormones in the body make you more sensitive to fluctuation in your stomach’s acid levels, and decrease the production of prostaglandins that protect the stomach from acid. Significant amounts of stress can often manifest in minor changes throughout the body that compound over time. This likelihood seems to persist even when medications are involved. Patients experiencing elevated levels of stress are more likely to develop GERD and chronic chest pain, according to a study that interviewed over 12,000 people with GERD. Since every person has different thresholds for what would trigger heartburn, other factors like how much you eat, how often you eat, and the frequency of your meals also affect how like you are to experience pain between your shoulder blades. Dietįood intake is one of the most significant triggers for back pain involving GERD, but most patients will often think that this is limited to just eating trigger foods. Here are three acid reflux and GERD related triggers for back pain: 1. Even if heartburn itself isn’t that severe, repeated, and consistent long-term heartburns may develop into chronic pain in the chest and back area. Patients may also experience vomiting or experiencing a feeling of regurgitating food. Typically, this back pain is triggered by GERD itself, but there are other symptoms like shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing or speaking, or swelling and inflammation that can also manifest. Because of the intensity of heartburn associated with GERD, pain may radiate from the referred area of the esophagus to your lower back. Heartburn: a burning pain usually felt in the chest area, a symptom of both acid reflux and GERD.Īside from heartburn, GERD and acid reflux share many similar symptoms like nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, increased abdominal pain, neck pain, and an acidic sensation in the throat and mouth.Īcid reflux will usually progress to GERD given enough time and/or lack of treatment.GERD: A chronic, severe form of acid reflux.Acid reflux: a reaction that occurs when the sphincter muscle at the lower end of the esophagus relaxes uncontrollably, which makes stomach acid leak into your esophagus.While most people use acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD interchangeably, they have specific definitions. How Acid Reflux, GERD, And Chest Pain Are Related While it can require more treatment than acid reflux, the chest and back pain it causes can be managed. So can acid reflux cause symptoms like acute pain between your shoulder blades? It can, but it usually means it’s progressed beyond simple heartburn and into Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD. But for serious cases of acid reflux, it can manifest in some extremely painful and difficult to manage symptoms, most of which aren’t typical of your usual episode of heartburn. While acid reflux has a variety of symptoms, it rarely progresses to anything an antacid can’t fix. Home » Blog » Can Pain Between Shoulder Blades Be Caused By Acid Reflux? Castle Connolly Top DoctorsĪcid reflux is a fairly common condition in the United States, with over 15 million Americans experiencing heartburn each day. Can Pain Between Shoulder Blades Be Caused By Acid Reflux? OUR LOCATIONS Same-day Appointments Book Online Call to book 201.523.9590Ĭan Pain Between Shoulder Blades Be Caused By Acid Reflux?
