GERD Can Develop Due to Hernias

If a patient is suffering from indigestion in Dallas and doesn’t know the cause, they should know that GERD can often develop because of hernias. GERD is short for gastroesophageal reflux disease, and a hernia is a protrusion of any internal organ through a weakness or abnormal opening in the muscle around it. The sort of hernia that often causes GERD is hiatal hernia, which protrudes through an abnormal opening in the diaphragm, a broad muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity and helps in breathing. The place where the hernia bulges up from the diaphragm is called the hiatus, and this is also the place where the esophagus passes through to the stomach. The esophagus, which is part of the very long and complicated gastrointestinal tract, is the long tube where food makes its way from the mouth and throat and into the stomach.

Because the hernia and the esophagus are interfering with each other in the same space, a person can suffer symptoms of both GERD and hiatal hernia at the same time, though most people who have a hiatal hernia are symptom free. Sometimes the symptoms of GERD and hiatal hernia are very similar, and often include a feeling of heartburn that develops about an hour after eating, belching and difficulty swallowing.

The hernia can cause acid to flow up into the esophagus from the stomach and irritate the esophagus. Mild symptoms of a hiatal hernia can be treated with a change in dietary and lifestyle habits. Large meals should be avoided and the patient should lose weight if they’re overweight, and shouldn’t eat anything for at least a couple of hours before they go to bed. They should also avoid foods that they know cause their symptoms. The condition is also helped if the head of the bed is raised about four to six inches, which helps to keep stomach acid from rising and causing irritation.