what causes a pain in the middle of your chest?
(See also Overview of Digestive Symptoms.) Pain in the middle of the chest or upper back can result from disorders of the esophagus or from disorders of the heart or aorta (see Chest Pain). Symptoms may be similar. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), caused by stomach acid splashing up into the esophagus, can cause a burning sensation or a tightness under the breastbone (sternum), which may resemble the pain of heart disease.