You are being treated for heartburn or hiatal hernia, and you feel sudden chest or stomach pain, have difficulty swallowing, are vomiting, or are unable to have a bowel movement or pass gas; you may have a hernia that has become obstructed or strangulated, which are emergencies.
One strong possibility for your symptom is gall bladder stones and cholesterol deposits within the gall bladder which can cause sharp pain. Getting an ultrasound of the upper abdomen done in a walk in clinic or the ER will confirm the diagnosis.
Gas trapped in the bend of the colon lying near the spleen (splenic flexure) can cause pain in the left upper abdomen or in the left lower chest. Other symptoms and signs of the so called splenic flexure syndrome include: 1  Distension of the upper abdomen, which can be tender to touch or not.