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Gastro Health & Nutrition
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Hiatal Hernia Treatment

A hiatal hernia is a common gastrointestinal issue, especially for those over the age of 50. The symptoms can be unpleasant, but fortunately, most cases are mild and easily treatable. If you’re experiencing gastrointestinal pain or discomfort, contact a medical professional. By treating the issue early, you can restore your quality of life and have peace of mind.
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Hands pressing on the abdomen near the navel area.

What Is Hiatal Hernia?

A hiatal hernia forms when your stomach bulges through your diaphragm, which is the muscle separating your chest and your abdominal cavity. People of all ages can have hiatal hernias, but they’re particularly common in women, adults over the age of 50, and people who are overweight or obese. There are two types of hiatal hernias: sliding and paraesophageal. Sliding hernias are more common and tend to be less serious. They occur when both the esophagus and the stomach slide up through the diaphragm. With a paraesophageal hernia, only one part of the stomach moves into the chest cavity next to the esophagus. This can cause the stomach to lose its blood supply, so it can have more dangerous consequences.

Medical illustration of the digestive system highlighting the stomach area.
Acid reflux symptom illustration

What Are the Key Symptoms?

Sometimes, hiatal hernias cause no noticeable symptoms. Other times, the condition causes various gastrointestinal issues. Here are some of the most common signs and symptoms:
  • Heartburn or acid reflux
  • Regurgitation of food or liquids back into the mouth
  • Pain or burning in the chest or abdomen
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea and vomiting
If you experience severe pain, vomiting of blood, or the passing of black stools, seek medical help right away. This may be a sign of a paraesophageal hernia that has cut off blood supply to your stomach, which requires immediate attention.
hiatal hernia heavy lifting risk factor

Causes and Risk Factors

Doctors and researchers don’t know the exact cause of hiatal hernias, but they are most common in people who are obese, have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

How Do You Treat A Hiatal Hernia?

If you’re not experiencing pain or other symptoms, you may not need treatment for your hiatal hernia. However, there are several treatments that help to manage symptoms and to repair the hernia. For acid reflux caused by the hernia, your doctor may recommend antacids or prokinetics to reduce discomfort. In some cases, hiatal hernias require surgery. This typically involves pulling the stomach back into the abdomen and reducing the size of the opening in the diaphragm. Lifestyle changes can help with symptom management, as well. For example, limiting acidic foods and fried foods may prevent acid reflux. Losing weight and quitting smoking may decrease symptoms, too.

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About Our Comprehensive Digestive Health Care

Our expert team helps people identify, treat, and manage their digestive irregularities. Allowing them to have incredible experiences in their lives that otherwise might not have been possible. We provide a comfortable environment in which we educate our patients to fully understand what is affecting their body and how it is best treated. Nuestro equipo es bilingüe.

  • Nutrition & Wellness
  • Digestive Health

  • IBS, Dyspepsia

  • Liver Disease

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hiatal hernia?
A hiatal hernia forms when a portion of your stomach pushes up through your diaphragm (the muscle separating your chest and abdominal cavity) into your chest area. It can affect people of all ages but is particularly common in women, adults over the age of 50, and people who are overweight or obese.
While some hernias cause no noticeable symptoms, common signs include heartburn, acid reflux, regurgitation of food or liquids into the mouth, pain or burning in the chest or abdomen, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and shortness of breath.
A sliding hernia is the most common and generally less serious type, occurring when both the stomach and esophagus slide up through the diaphragm. A paraesophageal hernia occurs when only a part of the stomach moves into the chest cavity next to the esophagus. This type is more dangerous because it can cut off the blood supply to the stomach and may require emergency surgery.
Because symptoms can mimic other digestive issues, diagnosis usually involves a physical exam paired with targeted imaging. We commonly use tests such as an X-ray, an upper GI series, a barium swallow test, or an endoscopy to accurately confirm the diagnosis and assess the hernia’s severity.
Treatment is highly individualized. If you are not experiencing pain, you may not need medical treatment. For symptom management, we often recommend lifestyle and dietary changes, alongside medications like antacids, H2 blockers, or prokinetics to reduce acid. In severe cases or for paraesophageal hernias, surgery may be required to pull the stomach back into the abdomen and repair the opening in the diaphragm.