What is Hiatal hernia?

Hiatal hernia (also called hiatus hernia) occurs when a section of the stomach pushes upward through the hiatus—a small opening in the diaphragm where the esophagus passes through and connects to the stomach.

There are two types of hiatal hernia—sliding and fixed.

A sliding hiatal hernia is the more common type of hiatal hernia. It occurs when the stomach and esophagus slide into and out of the diaphragm through the hiatus. Sliding hiatal hernias tend to be small.

With a fixed hiatal hernia, also known as a paraesophageal hernia, part of the stomach pushes up into the diaphragm and stays there.

Causes of Hiatal hernia

Hiatal hernia can be caused by many things including hard coughing, pregnancy, severe vomiting, straining during bowel movements, lifting heavy objects and overeating.

Some people are born with a weak or excessively large hiatus that predisposes them to the condition. Also, people over age 50, smokers and overweight people are at an increased risk.

Symptoms of Hiatal hernia

Small hiatal hernias usually do not cause noticeable symptoms. However, a large hiatal hernia may cause symptoms including heartburn, bad breath, chest pain, dry cough, belching, sore throat and difficulty swallowing.

Long-term effects of Hiatal hernia

Although most hiatal hernia symptoms can be eased with simple lifestyle changes, those that cause long-term or worsening symptoms may require surgery.

Long-term effects also include bleeding ulcers on the esophagus, Barrett’s esophagus (with an increased risk of esophageal cancer), laryngitis, and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Natural remedies for Hiatal hernia

Food combining can encourage more efficient digestion, which in turn can help curb hiatal hernia symptoms such as heartburn and reflux. Food combining centers on pairing foods together that require similar digestive enzymes to each the overall burden on the GI tract and promote better digestion.

Digestizol Max Digestive Enzyme Formula can help support the body’s digestive enzymes and encourage more complete, comfortable digestion and less heartburn.

Gastro BeCalm Blend provides four very effective herbs which can safely and naturally curb heartburn.

Other helpful measures include quitting smoking, getting chiropractic care, losing weight, and concentrating on fiber-rich foods to prevent constipation.