Hiatal hernia is a common cause of acid reflux.

Development

The lower esophageal sphincter (aka LES, also called the cardiac valve) is a one way valve that lets food into the stomach.

Under the conditions or hernia, it may not function properly, allowing acid from the stomach to escape upwards into the esophagus, causing painful heartburn and acid reflux.

The diaphragm is a big dome-shaped muscle above the stomach that separates the lungs and heart from the stomach , liver, and digestive viscera.

A hernia is a protrusion of an organ through an opening. In this case, a hiatal hernia is a protrusion of the stomach through the diaphragm.

Each time you inhale, the diaphragm contracts and pushes down on digestive organs. Each time you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes. Since you breathe roughly 26,000 times a day - the diaphragm pushes on the digestive organs very often.

The esophagus passes through the diaphragm and into the stomach. So there is a lot of interaction between the esophagus, top of the stomach, and diaphragm.

For various reasons the upper stomach may become adhered to the diaphragm, or protrude through.

One of these reasons is shallow breath. Shallow or difficult breathing due to pain may also be a sign of hiatal hernia.

Other causes include anything that creates undue pressure on abdominal organs, including pregnancy, obesity, gas & bloating, physical exertion and strain including persistent coughing.

Finally, poor or lax muscle tone can cause malfunction of the valve.

Types

There are two types of hiatal hernia, sliding and rolling. A sliding hernia is the most common, when the upper part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm. A sliding hernia is often small, and produces no symptoms, or intermittent symptoms. It often slips in and out of its correct position.

A rolling hernia is rare but more dangerous. It can trap the stomach above the diaphragm, cutting off the blood supply and causing necrosis or tissue death, a serious condition.

Upon palpation with firm pressure, you may notice some discomfort in the upper left quadrant on the abdomen.

Diagnosis

A barium X-ray may be used to diagnose hiatal hernia.

Treatment

Surgery is often used to correct this condition, but it is not statistically successful.

Chiropractors can sometimes reset the diaphragm into the proper position.

You can also try a home technique while lying on your back with your knees bent or close to your chest. On the exhale push your finger under your left rib cage and pull the stomach down.

When you sit, the belly compresses which increases pressure in the abdomen. Instead, move the belly button forward to create more space in the lower abdomen. Lift the sternum to create even more space.

Easy to digest foods so that food doesn't stagnate in the upper GI. This can reduce the chances of acid reflux.

Avoid carbonated beverages and food that causes gas or bloating.

Avoid muscle relaxants like smoking. Aromatic herbs like peppermint should be avoided as these will also relax the LES causing malfunction.

Disclaimer: 'Hiatal Hernia' could be serious and should be checked by a medical doctor.

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Augment your diet with these specially chosen ingredients below which may be useful for 'Hiatal Hernia'. Individual results vary depending the cause of your imbalance and by constitution. Please research the ingredients below to find which are most helpful for you, and check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine. Please check with your medical doctor before making any changes to your health & wellness routine, and for the proper use of these products.

These supplements are contraindicated / may aggravate 'Hiatal Hernia'.

MORE DIGESTION TIPS

DISCLAIMER: The pathogenesis of each person's condition is unique, and so the diet must be fit to the individual and the unique root causes of the condition in your body. The information on this page is for educational purposes only and should not be used to treat a medical condition. It is not a substitute for medical care. Please check with your doctor before making any changes to your health and wellness routine.

Everything you eat has an effect on your body, which Ayurveda categorizes in a simple and easy way, using biocharacteristics (gunas). Biocharacteristics are qualities (like cold and hot) that describe the effect a food or herb has on your body. Cooling foods like cucumber, decrease metabolism. Heating foods like chili pepper, stimulate your body and increase metabolism. For 'Hiatal Hernia', you should select foods with the following biocharacteristics. Individual results will vary, based on your body type and the root cause of your imbalance.

Digestion:

Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

HOW TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN STAGE OF DISEASE #4

HIATAL HERNIA IS IN STAGE OF DISEASE #4 - TISSUE DISEASE

If you have symptoms in this category it means your imbalances have overwhelmed your body's resistance causing a full-fledged disease. Once imbalance reaches this stage it is more likely to cause acute or chronic conditions. You might be tempted to focus your attention on fighting symptoms in this category, but dismiss earlier warning signs of imbalance - i.e. symptoms in the stage 1 category. It is ideal to find and address the root causes weakening your system and remove them first. This ensures you are not adding fuel to the fire of disease. Once the root causes are removed, you can work on addressing the disease head on along with strengthening your body. This typically yields a quicker recovery and prevents recurrence. Ayurveda's preventative approach suggests you pay careful attention to every stage of disease development. (See all disease stages on JB)

GET MY FREE AYURVEDA BODY MAP According to Ayurveda, one or more of the following doshas and biocharacteristics may aggravate 'Hiatal Hernia'. If you have an excess of one of these doshas or biocharacteristics below, Ayurveda recommends reducing foods and lifestyle habits that aggravate them. Click on the biocharacteristic to learn what foods and lifestyle habits should be reduced.

Are you prone to a problem with 'Hiatal Hernia'? Find your imbalances and create a diet for your Digestion by taking the free digestion quiz:

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The following symptoms & habits may be related to 'Hiatal Hernia'. See your quiz results for a computerized assessment of your body type. Please click on the symptoms below to learn more about them. On average the biocharacteristics of people reporting Hiatal Hernia were more aggravated than 61% of other symptoms. From the 1,911 people who reported Hiatal Hernia average deviation in biocharacteristic levels were the following:

Risk Factors of Hiatal Hernia

Complications of Those Reporting Hiatal Hernia

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