Experiences with
Hiatus herniaCheck if you have a hiatus hernia
You can have a hiatus hernia without knowing and without it being a problem.
With a hiatus hernia you may:
- have a painful burning feeling in your chest, often after eating (heartburn)
- bring up small amounts of food or bitter-tasting fluids (acid reflux)
- have bad breath
- burp and feel bloated
- feel or be sick
- have difficulty or pain when swallowing
These are the symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).
Treatment for a hiatus hernia
Broadly, treatment follows these steps:
- Change your eating habits, for example, eat smaller, more frequent meals and do other things to help with the symptoms of GORD.
- If you smoke, try to give up, as it can irritate your digestive system and make your symptoms worse.
- Buy medicines from the pharmacy (ask the pharmacist what you should take to help with the symptoms of GORD).
- If medicines from the pharmacy and changing your eating habits do not help, see a GP, who can prescribe stronger medicines.
- If stronger medicines do not work, a GP can send you for further tests to find out if your symptoms are caused by a hiatus hernia. They might also prescribe medicines for long-term GORD.
- A GP might refer you to a specialist to check if you need surgery. This usually only happens if other treatments have not worked and you keep having very bad symptoms.
What causes a hiatus hernia
It's not clear what causes a hiatus hernia. Anyone can have one, but it's more common if you're over 50, pregnant or overweight.
Symptoms of hiatus hernia include a burning feeling in your chest (heartburn), burping and feeling sick.
Treatments for a hiatus hernia include taking antacids, eating smaller portions and losing weight. You may need surgery if it does not get better.
It's not clear what causes a hiatus hernia. It's more common if you're over 50, pregnant or overweight.
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HealthUnlocked contains information from NHS Digital, licensed under the current version of the Open Government Licence