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Acid reflux and hiatal hernia are often encountered together. The latter, as a very common disorder especially among the elderly, can lead to the onset of numerous other medical conditions, including GERD – gastro-esophageal reflux disease, or acid reflux.
In the case of a healthy individual, the stomach is located under the diaphragm, a muscle which separates the abdominal cavity from the chest. The esophagus passes through the chest and, before reaching the stomach, it goes through an opening in the diaphragm called the esophageal hiatus. In the case of patients suffering from hiatal hernia, the esophageal hiatus is enlarged – situation which can occur as the result of multiple factors, including physical activity or natural aging – and through this enlarged opening, the stomach can protrude into the patient’s chest. This condition is called hiatal hernia and as stated, it may lead to a number of complications including GERD. In such cases, acid reflux and hiatal hernia are linked.
When considering a proper treatment for acid reflux and hiatal hernia, the doctor will need to take into account to causes of the hernia. These may vary greatly from one individual to another, but there are only a few categories of possible causes: mechanical (such as weight lifting, powerful blows, clothing and posture, or hard coughing), medical (obesity, constipation, congenital defects, hereditary disorders) or life style causes (for example smoking and heavy drinking).
There are several types of hiatal hernia. The sliding hiatal hernia is the most often encountered of them, and this condition is characterized by the mobility of the hernia – as in, the upper part of the stomach slides up and down through the enlarged hiatus. Usually small, these hernias may cause no symptoms or complications. Fixed hiatal hernias are situations where the protruding part of the stomach is stuck in the chest; there may be very few symptoms in these cases as well, but the potential for complications is much higher.
In most situations, acid reflux and hiatal hernia are encountered together when the hernia belongs to the third and last category, the serious (or complicated) hiatal hernia. Various other affections may be present in these situations, as well, and the patient requires immediate treatment. The typical treatment options at this stage are surgical procedures.
It is not uncommon for small hiatal hernias to cause absolutely no problems to the patients, and in these cases the patient can learn to live with them, without any treatment being necessary. Larger hernias however tend to cause a number of signs and symptoms, including chest pain, belching and heartburn.
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