Have you been experiencing back pain when you get heartburn? Though the conditions might seem unrelated, they could be connected. Heartburn, also known as acid reflux, happens when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) allows acid from the stomach to travel back into the esophagus. (It's what you might refer to as acid "backwash" because the acid is moving in the wrong direction.)

Though your stomach is equipped to handle those acids, your esophagus isn't. Consequently, the sensitive tissues in the esophagus become irritated, leading you to feel a burning or stinging sensation in your throat and, sometimes, in your upper chest. Those common hallmarks of heartburn are bad enough. But others can show up as well. And as SNL's Kenan Thompson mentioned when he opened up about his heartburn-ass

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