Aa
EXTREME NERVE PAIN RADIATING FROM ESOPHAGUS???? PLEASE HELP
I've had mild acid reflux for years with no real problems using tums and prilosec otc to control it... In August I had an endoscopy on suggestion from my doctor...ever since my life has been hell...Doctor told me I had some erosions and to up the prilosec to twice daily...I then had bad esophagus pain and he put me on Zegerid which caused extreme back and esophagus pain...burning...turns out I was having a bad reaction to the medicine... then aciphex...which seemed really strong and also gave me side effects.... currently on Prevacid...but here's the deal... I don't have heartburn and I have been watching everything I do...no alcohol, coffee, smoking, spicy foods for months...My main pain in on the left side of my esophagus about mid chest... when it acts up the nerves on my esophagus seem to burn and they fire back into my spine and I get extreme pain, burning, pulling, in my left back and up into my neck...even left shoulder... doctor just likes to switch my pills but it seems like something is wrong...I have had a cervical and Brain MRI and a chest catscan because I could not tell where all this horrible pain was coming from... Should I have another endoscopy or tests to look inside..it feels like something on that side of my esophagus is really messed up.. I even have tightness in the muscle all the way up in my throat and mouth...could the endoscopy have injured me...any advice...please.... also any info on the nerve story with the esophagus....
Have you asked your doctor about esophageal spasms? I have recently been diagnosed with reflux esophagitis, barretts esophagus and esophageal spasms. My first gastroenterologist never even suggested that some of my pain may have been from the spasms. I am now on an anti spasmodic medication and my spasms are controlled. It is my understanding that if you have acid reflux, you are more likely to have esophageal spasms.
I understand how hard this whole process is...took me 6 months of agony and 4 doctors before they could tell me what was wrong.
Feel better soon,
Goofysmom
I understand how hard this whole process is...took me 6 months of agony and 4 doctors before they could tell me what was wrong.
Feel better soon,
Goofysmom
You just described my symptoms exactly, constant burning in my esophagus, lots of pain in the upper back right between the shoulder blades, feels like its right inside a vertibrae, #4 I think. Pain in the shoulder (my left) down to left side of chest and also feels like pain from under left side rib cage. I have had this now for only about a month since my severe acid reflux started. The Doc has me on prevacid, I told him they did not work and he told me take two a day together, my friend told me about Nexium which I have not tried, he said he has tried them all and Nexium is the only one that worked for him? Let me know if you find out anything and I will do the same for you, it's new to me but I am proactive and am looking for an answer, this thing, this pain is ruining my life! Kev.
Dear AVG,
Let's see, here are my ideas, take what you want, leave the rest
The one medical finding you've had was erosions in your food tube. This comes from acid bubbling up from the tummy. Acid reflux and heartburn are the same thing. Assuming you can drink milk and like it, warm some up (not hot), add a little sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla icecream, and drink it slowly, a whole glass. If your throat feels better, and your tummy does too, then quit taking all those stupid antacids. Some people say milk makes acid worse, but I am living proof that it does not. Milk will coat your throat and tummy. Choose acidophilus milk to drink, drink some daily.
Next, something in your life may be causing you to have a sour stomach. Could be almost anything. But food-wise, the usual culprits are eating too fast, exercising or the like after you eat, skipping meals, going too long and then eating a big meal. When you eat, you need to go easy on yourself, and you need to eat several times a day.
Stress-wise, taking long relaxing walks is perfect for stress. Also, laying flat on the floor with your legs bent, your head on a pillow, lights low and complete silence, then rub your tummy in a circular fashion for a few minutes, going clockwise from your view of looking at your tummy, then stop and let your arms fall out from your sides and breathe deeply. Think of a pleasant location and go there. Do this once every day.
Also, keeping a short-term daily journal with brief notes about what is going on when pain strikes. Write down what you are doing and what you ate just before the trouble. It does double duty, it gets out what is stressing you, and it also may reveal a common denominator. After you've kept a journal for two weeks, go back and tick off what is the same.
Lastly, it is important to stay well-hydrated. Also, eat a salad for lunch, eat a couple slices of 100 percent wheat toast (or oat cereal like cheerios if wheat is an allergen), and don't consume anything two hours before bedtime. Don't eat tomatoes, drink only 4 oz of juice max daily, cut up beef in very small pieces, watch your salt intake, and go online and google acid foods and avoid those at the top of the list.
I might add that could be your back is wrenched out of shape. This is why it is important to stay relaxed. When people are in pain, they lean over to "protect" that place. Quit leaning over, lay on the floor and do deep breathing like I mentioned, and go for relaxing walks, which will all help your back muscles go back like they're supposed to be. Don't do any heavy lifting for a while.
I know, none of this may help, and your throat and/or tummy could have ulcer type problems or even damage from the endo, but I know nothing of those things. I only know natural stuff. You could also have an infectious problem of the digestive tract, which they should draw blood and check that out. Sometimes antacids will quit working, which is why I suggested the milk route.
Let us know if any of these things helped you.
Let's see, here are my ideas, take what you want, leave the rest
The one medical finding you've had was erosions in your food tube. This comes from acid bubbling up from the tummy. Acid reflux and heartburn are the same thing. Assuming you can drink milk and like it, warm some up (not hot), add a little sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla icecream, and drink it slowly, a whole glass. If your throat feels better, and your tummy does too, then quit taking all those stupid antacids. Some people say milk makes acid worse, but I am living proof that it does not. Milk will coat your throat and tummy. Choose acidophilus milk to drink, drink some daily.
Next, something in your life may be causing you to have a sour stomach. Could be almost anything. But food-wise, the usual culprits are eating too fast, exercising or the like after you eat, skipping meals, going too long and then eating a big meal. When you eat, you need to go easy on yourself, and you need to eat several times a day.
Stress-wise, taking long relaxing walks is perfect for stress. Also, laying flat on the floor with your legs bent, your head on a pillow, lights low and complete silence, then rub your tummy in a circular fashion for a few minutes, going clockwise from your view of looking at your tummy, then stop and let your arms fall out from your sides and breathe deeply. Think of a pleasant location and go there. Do this once every day.
Also, keeping a short-term daily journal with brief notes about what is going on when pain strikes. Write down what you are doing and what you ate just before the trouble. It does double duty, it gets out what is stressing you, and it also may reveal a common denominator. After you've kept a journal for two weeks, go back and tick off what is the same.
Lastly, it is important to stay well-hydrated. Also, eat a salad for lunch, eat a couple slices of 100 percent wheat toast (or oat cereal like cheerios if wheat is an allergen), and don't consume anything two hours before bedtime. Don't eat tomatoes, drink only 4 oz of juice max daily, cut up beef in very small pieces, watch your salt intake, and go online and google acid foods and avoid those at the top of the list.
I might add that could be your back is wrenched out of shape. This is why it is important to stay relaxed. When people are in pain, they lean over to "protect" that place. Quit leaning over, lay on the floor and do deep breathing like I mentioned, and go for relaxing walks, which will all help your back muscles go back like they're supposed to be. Don't do any heavy lifting for a while.
I know, none of this may help, and your throat and/or tummy could have ulcer type problems or even damage from the endo, but I know nothing of those things. I only know natural stuff. You could also have an infectious problem of the digestive tract, which they should draw blood and check that out. Sometimes antacids will quit working, which is why I suggested the milk route.
Let us know if any of these things helped you.
It sounds like me. I have 2 gastroscopies and 1 colonoscopy. Each one is worser than the one before. Your symptoms are very similar to mine. I also unable to tell exactly where. Now dropped off the holter monitor and wait for the report. If my heart is fine then the trouble maker is my naughty tummy!
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Gastroenterology Community
Learn which OTC medications can help relieve your digestive troubles.
Is a gluten-free diet right for you?
Discover common causes of and remedies for heartburn.
This common yet mysterious bowel condition plagues millions of Americans
Don't get burned again. Banish nighttime heartburn with these quick tips
Get answers to your top questions about this pervasive digestive problem
