A pinching pain in the upper-left chest results from a number of different conditions that include heart problems; lung problems; gastrointestinal issues; bone, muscle or nerve problems; or anxiety. It is important to rule out heart attack as this is potentially life-threatening, explains WebMD.
Some of the other conditions affecting the heart that sometimes cause a pinching sensation include coronary artery disease, myocarditis, pericarditis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, mitral valve prolapse and coronary artery dissection, notes WebMD. Lung problems such as pleuritis, pneumonia or lung abscess, a blood clot in the lungs, collapse of the lungs, abnormally high blood pressure, or asthma also sometimes cause this pinching feeling. Gastrointestinal issues ranging from simple acid reflux to a hiatal hernia also sometimes cause chest pain.
