Reason for pain under breast

I am having pain from my left shoulder around to the front. It feels like someone is tighting a belt around the area. Its just under my breast(all the way around the front and down my left side mostly). Kind of like a belt being tighten. I can feel it coming. I have a lot of burping and I am choking on my food now and then when I try to swallow. Its VERY uncomfortable. And I am having a little trouble breathing, as if I am being pressed down by something sitting on my chest. I don't feel like it's my heart but I'am very worried about this. It's been going on for awhile now but seems to be getting worst over the last week. It comes often and it doesn't seem to matter if I have eaten or not.  Someone said it could be a hernia.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

There can be a variety of causes for the symptoms.  The pressure on the chest can be related to heart problems - an EKG as well as an exercise stress test would be appropriate to evaluate this.  Other causes can include GI diseases, such as GERD, an ulcer, or inflammation of the upper digestive tract.  A hiatal hernia is possible.  The test to evaluate for that would be an upper GI series or upper endoscopy.

If the heart and initial GI evaluation is negative, you may want to consider further GI tests, including an abdominal ultrasound.

Other things to consider would be radiation of musculoskeletal shoulder pain.  

I would suggest being evaluated by your personal physician and discussing these possibilities.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
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