A hiatal hernia can be a very serious injury which leads to significant pain and discomfort for the person who suffers from it. Though in many cases, the common hiatal hernia symptoms can be difficult to spot, there are certain signs that could indicate that you need to seek professional help from a doctor as quickly as possible.
A hiatal hernia takes place because a part of the stomach pushes its way up through the diaphragm. The human diaphragm is equipped with a little opening known as the hiatus, through which the tube for food, known as the esophagus passes on the way through into the stomach. In certain situations, the stomach might push up through this opening and lead to a hiatal hernia – which may need to be addressed by a doctor.
Recognizing the Common Hiatal Hernia Symptoms
Although this issue sounds as though it must be very severe, in most cases, small hiatal hernias aren’t responsible for any extreme problems. Some people don’t even know that they have this type of hernia until their doctor discovers it when searching for other conditions. However, in rare circumstances, a larger hiatal hernia might force food and acid to back up in your esophagus, which could lead to problems like heartburn. In many circumstances, measures for self-care and medications may assist in relieving these symptoms, although significantly large hiatal hernias may require surgical care.
As mentioned above, the common hiatal hernia symptoms are likely to be non-existent for small hiatal hernias. However, larger hernias might lead to problems such as:
– Excessive belching
– Heartburn
– Pain when swallowing
– Abdominal or chest pain
– Feeling of fullness after meals
– Passing black stools which might indicate bleeding in the gastrointestinal system
– Vomiting blood
If you notice any of the symptoms that have been outlined above, or you begin to notice any other signs that cause you to be concerned, it may be important to set up an appointment with your doctor as quickly as possible.
Understanding Hiatal Hernias
Besides understanding the symptoms of hiatal hernias, it may also be useful to know how these issues form and what the possible causes might be. It’s important to know that your diaphragm is a huge dome-shaped muscle that separates the abdomen and the chest cavity. While your esophagus would normally pass through into your stomach through an opening known as the hiatus in your diaphragm, problems can sometimes happen when the muscles surrounding the space become weak. The upper area of your stomach in this case can move up and through into your chest.
Sometimes, a hiatal hernia might be the result of severe injury to the space in question. In other circumstances, it may simply be that you were born with a hiatus opening that is much larger than the usual opening for other people. There is also some evidence that this injury could be caused by intense and persistent pressure on the muscles surrounding the hiatus, including coughing, vomiting, or straining when lifting heavy objects. It can also be caused by excessive straining during a bowel movement.
