Pain in your upper left abdomen beneath your ribs can have a variety of causes, ranging from constipation and heartburn to a life threatening heart attack.

Pain beneath your ribs in the upper left quadrant of your abdomen can have a variety of causes. The area contains important organs, including the spleen, kidney, pancreas, stomach, colon, and lungs.

This article reviews all the possible causes of pain in this area, as well as accompanying symptoms and what your next steps should be.

Heart attack (myocardial infarction)

If you suspect you may be having a heart attack or another medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

One of the most common symptoms of a heart attack is tightness, pain, aching, pressure, or squeezing in your chest or arms. This tightness, pain, or pressure may spread to your jaw, back, or neck.

You may have all or just one or two of these symptoms, but if you experience any of these heart attack warning signs and think you may be having a heart attack, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Angina (chest pain)

Angina occurs when the blood traveling to your heart doesn’t contain enough oxygen. This may cause tightening or pain in your chest, jaw, back, shoulders, and arms.

Angina isn’t a disease of the heart. Rather, it’s a symptom of a possible undiagnosed heart issue, such as coronary heart disease or coronary microvascular disease.

Pericarditis

Pericarditis is caused by the swelling of the membrane around your heart. This membrane, which also becomes irritated, is called the pericardium.

There are five types of pericarditis. The type is determined by how long the symptoms last. These five types are:

  • Acute: Symptoms last less than 3 weeks.
  • Incessant: Symptoms are continuous and last 4 to 6 weeks.
  • Recurrent: Symptoms recur 4 to 6 weeks later, with no symptoms between the prior episode.
  • Chronic: Symptoms last longer than 3 months.
  • Subacute: develops within weeks or months of an inciting event such as infection or trauma.

Trapped gas

Trapped gas occurs when gas is slow or not able to move through your digestive tract. It can be caused by food or digestive conditions. Symptoms of trapped gas include pain and bloating.

Constipation

Constipation occurs when you have fewer than three bowel movements per week or have stools that are hard and difficult to pass.

Symptoms related to constipation include bloating, stomachache, little to no appetite, and cramps.

Heartburn

Heartburn is a common condition that involves mild to severe pain in the chest, which is known as acid reflux. When this feeling is more severe, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which affects about 20% of people in the United States.

Heartburn usually occurs after eating. It typically happens when acid comes back up from the stomach into the esophagus. This causes a burning sensation and discomfort in your chest

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), commonly called acid reflux, is a condition that occurs when you experience heartburn more than two times each week.

The symptoms of GERD may also include acid reflux, heartburn, and cough.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition involving a group of intestinal symptoms that typically occur together.

The symptoms vary in severity and duration from person to person. Symptoms include diarrhea or constipation and bloating.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes any disorder that causes inflammation in your digestive tract.

The most common of these conditions is ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Symptoms include abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea, and blood in the stool.

Kidney stones

Kidney stones happen when waste builds up in your kidneys and sticks together. This is due to not enough water passing through.

Common symptoms of kidney stones include sharp pain, vomiting, and nausea.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis occurs when your pancreas is inflamed. There are two types of pancreatitis: acute and chronic.

The symptoms vary for each type of pancreatitis.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection that occurs in one or both of your lungs. It can have various causes, including fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

Symptoms include coughing that may produce mucus, fever, sweating or chills, and shortness of breath.

Pleurisy

Pleurisy is an inflammation of the membrane around your lungs, as well as on the inside of your chest wall.

Symptoms of pleurisy may include chest pain, fever, and cough.

Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)

A collapsed lung can occur when air gets in the space between the lung and the chest wall.

As the air expands, it pushes against the lung, and eventually, the lung may collapse. The pressure from this trapped air can also make it difficult to take in a full breath.

Other symptoms include a sudden, sharp stabbing pain in the chest, a rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, and turning blue.

Costochondritis

Costochondritis occurs when the cartilage that connects your rib cage to your breastbone becomes inflamed. It can have symptoms that are similar to a heart attack.

These include pain in the upper and middle rib area on either side of the breastbone, pain that gets worse when lying down, and pain that intensifies with coughing or deep breaths.

Broken ribs

Broken ribs are normally caused by a severe or traumatic injury. However, if you have osteoporosis or another condition that affects your bones, you can get a broken rib from a minor injury.

The primary symptom is chest pain when taking a deep breath, coughing, or sneezing.

Endocarditis

Endocarditis is an infection of your heart’s inner lining.

The symptoms of endocarditis include fever, fatigue, and heart failure.

Appendicitis

Appendicitis occurs when your appendix is inflamed.

Although the appendix isn’t located in the upper left abdomen, in rare cases, it can cause pain in the area in rare cases.

Other symptoms may include loss of appetite, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal swelling.

Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)

Your spleen is located in the left upper part of your abdomen. A number of diseases and conditions can cause an enlarged spleen.

Infections are one of the most common causes.

Problems with your liver, such as cirrhosis and cystic fibrosis, can also cause an enlarged spleen.

A common symptom of an enlarged spleen is pain and discomfort in the upper left side of your abdomen.

The cause of upper left abdominal pain varies significantly. It can be caused by something as minor as heartburn, or it could be a sign of a heart attack.

If your pain is new, persistent, and severe, you should visit your doctor.

If your symptoms feel like a heart attack, call 911 immediately.