I get this once in awhile. I have 7 spinal fractures, half low thoracic and half lumbar. If I lift or reach, my diaphragm goes up and I feel pressure, and it is hard to eat. This situation also can trigger atrial fibrillation for me. I really sympathize. I use Gas-X (simethicone), and sometimes a hot shower can relax things down. I have taken Klonopin, rarely, to try to relax things as well. I eat small amounts at a time. If your friend always feels this pressure, it might be good to see if there is a hiatal hernia, something I need to check on as well. A GI doc would do the testing.