What Causes Sharp Pain Radiating From Upper Abdomen Towards The Back?

Hi there, I often see patients in my clinic for similar complaints. The most common cause of this is acid reflux caused by GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). This can be caused by over production of acid which causes you to have the symptoms you are describing. Most people complain of pain and belching. This can be treated by adjusting your diet to avoid acidic foods, as well as foods such as coffee, chocolate, and NSAID s such as ibuprofen (these will cause the mucous lining of the stomach to lessen, which in turn creates less of a buffer for the acid that is produced in your stomach). An over the counter acid reducing medication such as pilosec may help your symptoms as well. Another thing you could try is sleeping with the head of your bed up at an angle of at least 30 degrees (try propping your head up with a few pillows). If you re still having symptoms, the next best test would be to see a gastroenterologist to have him work up your GERD. A number of tests can be done, such as a test for H. Pylori (bacterial infection that causes increased acid production), and endoscopy ( a camera to take a look at your stomach and look for ulcers). You may also have something called a hiatal hernia, which basically causes the sphincter (valve) that is between the stomach and the esophagus to not function properly. This often requires surgery to fix. I would try the things I suggested, and if there is still no improvement, see your doctor. Finally, another possible is gallstones causing gallbladder pain, but this usually presents with pain after eating, which doesn t sound like a symptom that you have. This can be easily diagnosed with a right upper quadrant ultrasound, which is a painless and non-invasive test. I hope this is helpful. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.