sohrabpapahn

Thoracic spine pain due to hidden reflux – the search for traces of a persistent complaint

In late summer 2019, a 54-year-old man came to my practice. His problem: severe, deep-seated pain in his mid-thoracic spine, particularly between the shoulder blades on the left side. The pain kept him awake at night, was particularly severe in the morning and made sitting for long periods uncomfortable. He had the feeling that “something had to come loose”, but it never did. Pressing against the wall brought short-term relief, but the pain always returned. 

A pain that did not match the musculoskeletal system

The examination showed no clear orthopaedic trigger. The spine was mobile, the muscles were tense but not excessively hardened. Despite localized tenderness, there were no blocked vertebrae or structural abnormalities. Traditional back treatment would have had little effect here.

A pain pattern that could not be explained by either poor posture or tension made me think of an organic connection. The affected region (thoracic vertebrae BWK 5-7) is connected to several internal organs – including the stomach, liver, heart and gall bladder.

While I was palpating his abdominal region, I noticed that his stomach was unusually tense.

Forgotten complaints – A piece of the puzzle emerges 

I asked specifically about digestive problems. He initially said no. But when I probed further, a memory came back: a few years ago, he had been struggling with heartburn. He was plagued by an unpleasant burning sensation behind his breastbone, especially at night. Medication had helped at the time – and over time he had lost sight of the problem.

However, a closer look at his eating habits revealed that he unconsciously avoided coffee, alcohol and spicy foods because he “didn’t tolerate them so well”. Reflux was no longer an issue for him – but his body still remembered it.

The silent connection between stomach and back 

What happened? A stomach that has been irritated for years can trigger a protective tension in the muscles of the thoracic spine via nervous reflexes. Over time, the ongoing tension causes pain – often without the affected person even thinking about the actual trigger.

I treated the stomach specifically, released tension in the diaphragm and improved the mobility of the oesophagus. The pain was already noticeably reduced during the first session.

After three weeks, the pain had almost disappeared – without me having treated the back directly. A third session was no longer necessary.

Conclusion: The body does not forget

Sometimes the pain is not where the cause lies. The body can store up past problems for years – and only come forward later with completely unexpected symptoms. This case shows how important it is to think outside the box. Not every back pain comes from the back – and not every forgotten problem has really disappeared.