What Does A Hiatal Hernia Feel Like?
Hiatal hernias are one of the most misunderstood conditions in medicine. Many people aren’t aware that they even exist, much less have an understanding of what they are, who they affect, how serious they can be if left untreated, or how to determine if you have one. With that being said, hiatal hernias actually affect a lot of people - especially those who are elderly or patients with other conditions like GERD. Whether you’re considered high risk for a hernia or not, here are some things everyone should know about hiatal hernias.
What Is A Hiatal Hernia?
A hiatal hernia occurs when part of the stomach squeezes through the “hiatus”, an opening in the diaphragm that your esophagus passes through. Hiatal hernias are typically caused by a combination of pressure and/or a weakness of muscle or fascia. There are two types of hiatal hernias - paraesophageal and sliding - and paraesophageal hernias are the more dangerous of the two.
What Does A Hiatal Hernia Feel Like?
The answer to this can be tricky. It’s not uncommon for hiatal hernias that are on the small side to never cause any symptoms, which is why a lot of the time patients with minor hernias never even realize that they have one unless their doctor discovers it while looking for something else. Moderate to severe hernias, however, usually cause several uncomfortable symptoms and can be dangerous if left untreated. If you have a larger hernia, you may “feel” the following hiatal hernia symptoms:
Heartburn
Shortness of breath
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
Regurgitation of food
Acid reflux
Chest or abdominal pain
Vomiting
If you’re experiencing one or several of the symptoms listed above, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor.
How Common Are Hiatal Hernias?
Hiatal hernias are actually much more common than you would think. In fact, statistics reveal that over 60% of adults will have at least some degree of a hiatal hernia by the age of 60. In addition to affecting the elderly, hiatal hernias occur very frequently among people who have gastroesophageal reflux disease. It’s unclear whether GERD makes patients more susceptible to hernias or whether having a hiatal hernia results in patients developing GERD, but the two conditions are very closely linked.
How Do You Treat A Hiatal Hernia?
When it comes to hiatal hernia treatment, it’s important to note that treatment is typically only considered medically necessary when the hernia results in symptoms that impact the patient’s daily life, such as causing persistent heartburn, difficulty swallowing, or other ulceration of the lower esophagus. In cases like this, where a hiatal hernia is coupled with GERD, surgical treatment is recommended. This surgery usually consists of three parts:
Freeing up the attachments that are keeping the stomach up in the chest in order to get the stomach back down into the abdomen.
Repairing the opening in the diaphragm with sutures and an onlay patch to reinforce the sutured closure.
Folding the stomach around the lower esophagus, which tightens everything and prevents the stomach from riding back up into the chest again.
While some people may have a hiatal hernia and never know, for many patients it’s a condition that can severely impact their daily life. If you’re experiencing symptoms of a hiatal hernia or think you may have one, schedule an appointment with a hernia doctor today!