What Are the Treatments for a Paraesophageal Hiatal Hernia?

A paraesophageal hiatal hernia is a medical condition that occurs when your stomach pushes through a space in your diaphragm and twists to end up next to your esophagus. Because a paraesophageal hiatal hernia may cause severe symptoms, it is necessary to receive treatment for the condition.

Causes

• Possible causes of paraesophageal hiatal hernia include injury to your chest, innate weakness in your diaphragm, severe and repetitive vomiting or coughing, pregnancy, lifting heavy objects or repeated straining while defecating. In many cases, the exact cause is never fully understood.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of paraesophageal hiatal hernia include heartburn, difficulty swallowing, bloating, pain after eating, bleeding in your esophagus that causes anemia and shortness of breath.

Diagnosis

• Doctors typically discover a paraesophageal hiatal hernia through endoscopy or a barium X-ray, also known as a Upper GI.

Treatment

• Treatment typically begins with prescription medications like H-2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors in an attempt to limit acid in your stomach in order to control pain and damage to your intestinal tract. If this is unsuccessful or your hernia is severe, your doctor may perform surgery.

Types of Surgery

• In some cases, surgeons perform hernia surgery through making one incision in the chest or abdomen. A less invasive option is laparoscopic surgery, a procedure that employs several very small incisions and use of a tiny camera to guide the surgeon in returning your stomach to its normal position.