Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBack Pain With GERDSymptomsTreatmentWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Back Pain With GERD
Symptoms
Treatment
When to See a Provider
GERD can cause referred pain (pain felt in a part of your body other than where a disease or injury causes it), or back pain may be due to a related condition. Treatment might include managing GERD and any other conditions causing back pain.
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GERD Back Pain: A Flare or Something Else?
Back pain occasionally occurs along with symptoms ofGERD. You may feel back pain after eating a meal, especially one with foods thattrigger GERD symptoms, such as spicy or high-fat food.
Several situations may lead to back pain occurring along with GERD.
Referred Pain
One possibility is that you feelreferred painin your back or neck. The sensory nerves in the esophagus communicate the sensation of pain to the brain. The pain signal from the esophagus uses the same pathway as the nerves in the diaphragm and abdomen.
Referred PainReferred pain is when pain is felt in an area of the body that’s not actually damaged or affected. This means that pain as a symptom of GERD could be felt in the back or other areas of the body.
Referred pain is when pain is felt in an area of the body that’s not actually damaged or affected. This means that pain as a symptom of GERD could be felt in the back or other areas of the body.
Stress
GERD could also lead tostress, as do many other medical conditions. Pain, anxiety, andlack of sleepfrom nighttime symptoms could all lead to elevated stress levels.
The stress could lead to a cascade of effects, including less effectiveness at work or school, inability to socialize as much, limited mobility and lack of exercise, and lower quality of life. All these effects could also contribute to back pain.
Diet
GERD and PregnancyGERD may occur during pregnancy. It’s not thought to affect the pregnancy or the fetus, but it can be uncomfortable. The reasons can include:A growing fetus putting pressure on the stomachDietary changesIncreased hormone levelsSide effects of medications or supplements taken for pregnancy-related nauseaWeakening of thelower esophageal sphincter(the muscular ring between the esophagus and the stomach that prevents backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus)
GERD and Pregnancy
GERD may occur during pregnancy. It’s not thought to affect the pregnancy or the fetus, but it can be uncomfortable. The reasons can include:A growing fetus putting pressure on the stomachDietary changesIncreased hormone levelsSide effects of medications or supplements taken for pregnancy-related nauseaWeakening of thelower esophageal sphincter(the muscular ring between the esophagus and the stomach that prevents backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus)
GERD may occur during pregnancy. It’s not thought to affect the pregnancy or the fetus, but it can be uncomfortable. The reasons can include:
Describing Back Pain With GERD
Both back pain and symptoms of GERD (heartburn, regurgitation,difficulty swallowing, and chest pain) are common. They can appear at the same time. Back pain may be as much as 3.3 times more common in people who also have symptoms of GERD that affect the esophagus.
Heartburn from GERD may feel like a burning pain in the chest. It might be felt in the neck and throat, and sometimes also goes into the back as referred pain.
GERD may also cause symptoms that include:
A Word From Verywell
—JAY N. YEPURI, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Treatments to Manage GERD Back Pain
Preventing symptoms of GERDmay help stop the back pain from starting. Some of the strategies that people can use at home to prevent GERD include:
Medications that treat GERD may also prevent or treat heartburn and related symptoms. These can include:
Strategies to treat back pain, or preventing it, include:
When to Check With a Provider
GERD and back pain symptoms are common. You may be able to trace symptoms back to an event, such as a spicy meal or an activity that may have strained the back. The symptoms may go away on their own with some home remedies and self-care.
However, when symptoms are longer lasting, the problem may be chronic. Chronic GERD or back pain is areason to see a healthcare providerfor an examination and treatment.
Back painis considered chronic when symptoms occur for longer than three months. It is also a concern when the pain is of shorter duration but is causing difficulty in completing daily tasks or enjoying regular activities.
It’s also worth noting thatback paincould be occurring coincidentally with GERD. They could be two separate issues that need different treatments. GERD may start to improve once lifestyle changes are made and sometimes after medication is used. If back pain does not improve when GERD is treated, it may need different management.
Chronic back pain will need to be evaluated and treated differently than GERD. A healthcare provider will consider the location of the pain, whether it’s related to an injury, and whether tests or care from a specialist are needed.
Summary
GERD may not directly cause back pain but instead could lead to a cascade of events in the body that result in perceived pain in the back. The pathways that communicate pain from the esophagus to the brain may also cause a sensation of pain in other areas of the body, including the abdomen.
Referred pain, stress, and other effects of GERD, such as lack of sleep, could lead to other body effects, including pain in the back. Occasional symptoms in the esophagus or back can be treated at home. A healthcare provider should check chronic symptoms.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Richter JE, Rubenstein JH.Presentation and epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease.Gastroenterology. 2018;154:267-276. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.07.045National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.University of Chicago Medicine.GERD and Pregnancy.Mittal RK, Le C, Ledgerwood M, Jung DK, Gandu V, Zifan A.Esophageal symptoms and lumbosacral back pain.Gastro Hep Adv.2024;3:292-299. doi:10.1016/j.gastha.2023.11.003.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Back pain.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Richter JE, Rubenstein JH.Presentation and epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease.Gastroenterology. 2018;154:267-276. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.07.045National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.University of Chicago Medicine.GERD and Pregnancy.Mittal RK, Le C, Ledgerwood M, Jung DK, Gandu V, Zifan A.Esophageal symptoms and lumbosacral back pain.Gastro Hep Adv.2024;3:292-299. doi:10.1016/j.gastha.2023.11.003.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Back pain.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Richter JE, Rubenstein JH.Presentation and epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease.Gastroenterology. 2018;154:267-276. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.07.045National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.University of Chicago Medicine.GERD and Pregnancy.Mittal RK, Le C, Ledgerwood M, Jung DK, Gandu V, Zifan A.Esophageal symptoms and lumbosacral back pain.Gastro Hep Adv.2024;3:292-299. doi:10.1016/j.gastha.2023.11.003.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Back pain.
Richter JE, Rubenstein JH.Presentation and epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease.Gastroenterology. 2018;154:267-276. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.07.045
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of GER & GERD.
University of Chicago Medicine.GERD and Pregnancy.
Mittal RK, Le C, Ledgerwood M, Jung DK, Gandu V, Zifan A.Esophageal symptoms and lumbosacral back pain.Gastro Hep Adv.2024;3:292-299. doi:10.1016/j.gastha.2023.11.003.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Back pain.
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