I have been getting pains in the middle of the night, it feels like a hot potato lodged in my lower throat, and then a constant sharp pain goes from the throat all the way down my right side, but now I am starting to suffer during the day.
With the data that you have given......two things come to mind:
1) Gastro-esophageal reflex.......GERD. Leakage of acid stomach contents into the oesophagus ( gullet)
2) Hiatus hernia. Bit of stomach bulging into your chest cavity.
My OH has this and the doctor told him it was acid reflux and suggested that he ate earlier in the evening before going to bed and also not to drink alcohol just before bed time. It seems to work ok. Gaviscon also helps