Symptoms of Hiatal Hernia
The majority of people who have hiatal hernias don't even realize it. Those who do know typically find out when visiting a doctor because of chronic heartburn. Symptoms may include the following:
- heartburn; regurgitation.
- difficulty swallowing.
- chest pain radiating from below the breastbone (the sternum).
- a bloated feeling after eating.
- shortness of breath.
Call Your Doctor If:
Radiating chest pain is not relieved by taking an antacid. You may have angina, or you may be having a heart attack. Get medical care immediately.
You are being treated for heartburn or hiatal hernia, and you feel sudden chest or stomach pain, have difficulty swallowing; and are vomiting. You may have a hernia that has strangulated, which is a medical and surgical emergency. Seek medical help without delay,
Your hratal hernia is accompanied by, chronic heartburn. Stomach acid is repeatedly burning your oesophagus, which can lead to oesophagitis (an in-flamed and ulcerated oesophagus), esophageal scarring, stomach ulcer, or cancer. See a physician soon.
Topics:
The hiatus is an opening in the diaphragm (a muscle separating the abdomen and chest) that the esophagus passes through to reach the stomach. If the hiatus weakens and stretches, part of the stomach and/or the oesophagus can squeeze into the chest cavity, producing a hiatal hernia.
Essentially, there are three types of hiatal her-nias. In a sliding hernia, the lower oesophagus and stomach move upward, bringing the top part of the stomach into the chest cavity.
Under normal circumstances, the hiatus is a small opening in the muscular diaphragm at the juncture where the esophagus meets the stomach. A hiatal hernia develops when the opening widens and allows the upper part of the stomach to protrude upward through the hiatus. Some hiatal hernias are present at birth.
Most of them, however, develop during life as the opening of the hiatus becomes stretched, often as a result of pregnancy or excessive weight gain, both of which place upward pressure on the stomach.
Symptoms
- Heartburn.
- Gas or belching.
Abdominal pressure and/or pain, which can radiate toward the chest:
Call Your Doctor If :
Any abdominal pain continues for more than six hours; this may indicate appendicitis, stomach ulcer, gall-stones, or other disease. You may need emergency care.
By the term hernia is meant the protrusion beyond its normal position of some part or structure of one of the body cavities. When used without any special qualifications, the term is understood to mean an external abdominal (inguinal) hernia, or rupture. This type accounts for over 90 per cent of all hernias in men and 50 per cent of all hernias in women, in whom femoral hernia is much commoner than in men. Next in frequency come post-operation hernias, or hernias through weak operation scars in the abdominal wall. These account for nearly 10 per cent.
Heartburn is the most common symptom of a condition called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or acid reflux (GERD). A sphincter (secialized muscle), known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), is located at the end of the esophagus and opens during swallowing to allow food to pass into the stomach. The LES muscle then close quickly to prevent the return (reflux) of food and stomach juices back into the esophagus.
Milk is not a remedy for heartburn. The soothing effect felt when drinking milk is deceiving- once in the stomach, milk's fat, calcium, and protein cause increased acid secretion and worsened heartburn. Minis are also often credited with alleviating heartburn, but they don't Mint actually relaxes the LES, making heartburn more likely.
If you have reflux, you know how it feels when food returns to hauntyou. Dr John Brififa suggests several strategies for taming heartburn at night
While a good evening meal can send us to bed in a contented state, our last supper may also make its presence felt later in the form of acid indigestion and heartburn.
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