Chest pain is one of the most frequent causes of emergency department (ED) visits in high-income countries. It is responsible for more than 8 million visits to EDs in the United States each year, making it the second most frequent cause of emergency visits after stomach and abdominal pain.
Chest pain can stem from a heart problem, but other possible causes include a lung infection, muscle strain, a rib injury, or a panic attack. Some of these are serious conditions and need medical attention.
One main cause of noncardiac chest pain is gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD, which occurs when stomach acid or bile flows from the stomach back to the esophagus causing pain and discomfort in the chest and throat….