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.
There are many causes for upper abdominal pain. Some of the common causes of upper abdominal pain include indigestion, gastritis, hiatus hernia, gallstones and stomach ulcers. There are other causes of pain in the upper abdominal region which are more serious, such as heart attack and acute pancreatitis.