Hiatal hernia - A condition in which part of the stomach pushes up through the diaphragm muscle.
In hiatal hernia, part of the stomach pushes into the chest cavity. It enters via an opening where the food tube (esophagus) passes on its way to the stomach
Hiatal hernias can occur for a number of reasons, including:
Being born with an unusually large hiatus.
Injury or trauma to the area such as force from a seatbelt during an accident.
Obesity.Persistent & intense pressure on the surrounding muscles caused by: Chronic coughing.
Lifting heavy objects. Repetitive and especially not breathing while doing them.
Types of hiatus hernia
There are 2 main types of hiatus hernia. They are:
sliding hiatus hernias – hernias that move up and down, in & out of the chest area (more than 80% of hiatus hernias are of this type)
para-oesophageal hiatus hernias – also called rolling hiatus hernias, where part of the stomach pushes up through the hole in the diaphragm next to the oesophagus (about 5-15% of hiatus hernias are of this type)
Lifestyle advice may include:
eating smaller, more frequent meals, rather than 3 large meals a day avoiding lying down (including going to bed) for 3 hours after eating or drinking removing any foods or drinks from your diet that make your symptoms worse
If a hiatus hernia isn't causing any noticeable problems, it doesn't usually need to be treated.
Surgery is used to repair a para-oesophageal hiatus hernia if there's a risk of serious problems.
In hiatal hernia, part of the stomach pushes into the chest cavity. It enters via an opening where the food tube (esophagus) passes on its way to the stomach
Hiatal hernias can occur for a number of reasons, including:
Being born with an unusually large hiatus.
Injury or trauma to the area such as force from a seatbelt during an accident.
Obesity.Persistent & intense pressure on the surrounding muscles caused by: Chronic coughing.
Lifting heavy objects. Repetitive and especially not breathing while doing them.
Types of hiatus hernia
There are 2 main types of hiatus hernia. They are:
sliding hiatus hernias – hernias that move up and down, in & out of the chest area (more than 80% of hiatus hernias are of this type)
para-oesophageal hiatus hernias – also called rolling hiatus hernias, where part of the stomach pushes up through the hole in the diaphragm next to the oesophagus (about 5-15% of hiatus hernias are of this type)
Lifestyle advice may include:
eating smaller, more frequent meals, rather than 3 large meals a day avoiding lying down (including going to bed) for 3 hours after eating or drinking removing any foods or drinks from your diet that make your symptoms worse
If a hiatus hernia isn't causing any noticeable problems, it doesn't usually need to be treated.
Surgery is used to repair a para-oesophageal hiatus hernia if there's a risk of serious problems.
Hiatal hernia .... in layman's terms your stomach gets
Pushed through your diaphragm / esophagus
Causing all sorts of problems
Treatable by a medical professional
Requires a medical diagnosis
Lab tests or imaging often required
Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong
What are 3 signs of hiatal hernia?
Chest or abdominal pain. Feeling full soon after you eat. Shortness of breath. Vomiting of blood or passing of black stools/ poop, which may indicate gastrointestinal bleeding
How serious is a hiatal hernia?
Further problems. It's rare for a hiatus hernia to cause complications, but long-term damage to the oesophagus caused by leaking stomach acid can lead to ulcers, scarring & changes to the cells of the oesophagus, which can increase your risk of oesophageal cancer.
Hiatus hernia can affect anyone, but it's more common in people who are:
over 50 years old ,overweight, pregnant
Pushed through your diaphragm / esophagus
Causing all sorts of problems
Treatable by a medical professional
Requires a medical diagnosis
Lab tests or imaging often required
Chronic: can last for years or be lifelong
What are 3 signs of hiatal hernia?
Chest or abdominal pain. Feeling full soon after you eat. Shortness of breath. Vomiting of blood or passing of black stools/ poop, which may indicate gastrointestinal bleeding
How serious is a hiatal hernia?
Further problems. It's rare for a hiatus hernia to cause complications, but long-term damage to the oesophagus caused by leaking stomach acid can lead to ulcers, scarring & changes to the cells of the oesophagus, which can increase your risk of oesophageal cancer.
Hiatus hernia can affect anyone, but it's more common in people who are:
over 50 years old ,overweight, pregnant
by Blu_leef July 28, 2023