10 Causes of Chest Pain
Cause #5: GERD
Our stomachs produce various chemicals and enzymes that help us break down our food. These substances are corrosive, but our stomach walls have a lining that protects us. Our stomachs also have muscles, known as sphincters, which tighten to prevent the gases and juices of the stomach from escaping uncontrollably.
If these sphincters experience problems, they may allow the gases and corrosive juices to escape into the esophagus. This is known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and it will often cause a sharp pain in the chest area. The corrosiveness of the juices can also burn the lining of the esophagus, causing what we call heartburn.
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