Many patients with prolonged chest pain, when they go to the cardiologist, are diagnosed with cardiac neurosis or have no obvious disease but the disease still does not improve. When they see a gastroenterologist, the patient is found to have reflux esophagitis and the doctor concludes that the patient's chest pain is caused by gastroesophageal reflux.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common cause of noncardiac chest pain. Also known as acid reflux, it causes 22 to 66 percent of noncardiac chest pain episodes. Other, less common esophageal problems that can cause chest pain include muscle problems, also known as esophageal dysmotility.