I am a 42 year old healthy female that eats right, excercises regularly and doesn t smoke. In 2008 I had a manometry at the Cleveland Clinic after suffering significant chest pain once every couple months after the birth of my second child. I was diagnosed with Nutracker Esophagus. Everything I read states it does not progress, however, I am living proof that I have had episodes occuring much more regularly over the past couple months. They have been occuring as close as 2-4 x a week and lasting up to 3 days in total. There is no rhyme or reason as to what I do, eat or the amount of stress I am under when the episodes occur. I had another EGD at the Clinic 4 days ago and nothing has really changed in the appearance of my esophagus. I do not have trouble swallowing or have any food flowing back up, just severe pain which ends up extending through my arms, neck and turns into a headache during each episode. I am in such severe pain with these episodes that I m wandering what can help me and what is causing this. The doctors said that Ibuprofen will not work, but again, it has worked occassionally with the pain. I am seeing a specialist, same doctor who did my manometry, on this Tuesday who may put me on muscle relaxers or something...but what if that doesn t help? And...how do I know for sure there isn t something else going on here?