My name is Dilson B. Oliveira. I live in northern California. I am writing here in hope to find help for my beloved wife who is suffering with chronic mid-back pain that, we believe, radiates to her stomach. She's not been able to eat since May 2017. Such symptoms started right after a car accident we were involved in on 05/13/2017. A driver hit the rear of our car on a freeway. He was at least at 75 miles/hour.
She's been hungry since the accident and can't eat due to inflammation to the esophagus and severe reflux. A biopsy was completed during the endoscopy. The result showed inflammation to the esophagus. She’s been to 3 E.Rs. She did several exams: X-Rays, CAT Scan, MRI. All came out normal. The doctors we visited could not find any possible reason for her symptoms. I guess they are too busy with endoscopies, colonoscopies, etc. to be able to do a thorough research. Sorry for showing our frustration.
My wife describes her symptom as like a nail fastened to her mid-back that radiates to her stomach. It’s like the nail that penetrated her mid-back and stomach. We googled and found the following abstract released by “US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health”: Esophageal dysfunction in cervical spinal cord injury: a potentially important mechanism of aspiration.
“Format: Abstract
J Trauma. 2005 Oct; 59(4):905-11.
Esophageal dysfunction in cervical spinal cord injury: a potentially important mechanism of aspiration.
Neville AL1, Crookes P, Velmahos GC, Vlahos A, Theodorou D, Lucas CE.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Respiratory complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI). We hypothesized that patients with CSCI had esophageal dysfunction, predisposing them to aspiration. The purpose of this study was to characterize esophageal function in these patients.
METHODS:
CSCI and similarly injured control (spinal cord injury below T1) subjects were prospectively enrolled from two trauma centers. All underwent esophageal manometry to measure lower (LES) and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) pressures. A subset of patients had detailed manometry and 24-hour pH studies performed to evaluate dynamic esophageal function.
RESULTS:
Eighteen CSCI and five control subjects were enrolled. The groups were similar with regards to age, sex, injury mechanism, Injury Severity Score, and hospital stay. Resting LES and UES pressures were similar in CSCI and control patients and did not differ from established norms. Five CSCI and two control patients underwent detailed manometric assessment. Defective UES relaxation was observed in all CSCI patients but not controls. CSCI patients had increased UES relaxation pressures (18.4 +/- 5.3 versus 3.9 +/- 0.7 mm Hg; p = 0.01) and UES bolus pressures (23.8 +/- 2.2 versus 10.2 +/- 6.9 mm Hg; p = 0.006) compared with controls. Esophageal body and LES function were normal. Two of five CSCI patients had abnormal 24-hour pH studies.
CONCLUSION:
Patients with CSCI demonstrate significantly disturbed dynamic function of the pharynx and UES while resting parameters remain normal. Because adequate UES relaxation is critical to the clearance of secretions and coordination of swallowing, this is an important potential mechanism of aspiration in patients with CSCI.
PMID: 16374280
[Indexed for MEDLINE]”

The last gastro doctor we shared this information said: This is just an abstract! To this date we don’t know what he meant with his comment. I translate it as “I am too busy with endoscopies and colonoscopies.”
Anyway, if any of you know someone who’s going or went through the same symptoms and doctors who know how to treat it, please share your valuable information.
Best New Year to you all!
Dilson