Medical Questions » Hernia Questions » Question No. 514
| Question: | What is a hiatus hernia? |
| Answer: | The chest cavity is separated from rhe abdominal cavity by a sheet of muscle (called the diaphragm) that runs across the body from front to back. Your stomach is immediately below the diaphragm, and is connected to the mouth by the gullet (oesophagus), which has to pass through a hole in the diaphragm.
Under certain circumstances, a small part of the stomach may slide through the hole in the diaphragm from the abdominal cavity into the chest cavity. This is a hiatus hernia.
The stomach may slide backwards and forwards, or may be stuck in the diaphragmatic hole.
The hernia will allow the acid in the stomach to flow up into the oesophagus, where the cells are not protected from the stomach acid. This causes heartburn, an acid taste in the mouth, burping and in severe cases, ulcers.
The factors rhat lead to the development of a hiatus hernia are obesity, stress, smoking, rapid eating, large meals, alcohol, heavy lifting and straining, repeated or constant bending and vomiting.
Treatment will involve avoiding these factors, antacids, medications to empty the stomach, drugs to reduce acid and spasm, and in very, severe cases surgery may be tried.
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