Causes and Symptoms of Hiatal Hernia

Hiatal hernia is the least diagnosed hernia due to its lack of symptoms, and with time it becomes symptomatic it becomes serious.  Hiatal hernia is most common in persons above 55 years of age.  It is caused by the weakening of the diaphragmatic hiatus or esophageal opening, which allows the upper part of stomach to come up into the chest cavity. The condition is termed as hiatal hernia and is responsible for gastric reflux.

The late diagnosis is the result of absence of symptoms in the early stages of this condition. By the time the patient complains about the pain in the esophageal region the condition is pretty advanced.  During the sliding hiatal hernia stage the patient usually ignores the symptoms and the condition usually heals by itself. But sometimes the sliding stage advances to a more complicated stage and larger part of the stomach comes up into the chest cavity and may lead to strangulation of the stomach. This near lethal condition is very rare but it does occur.  This is because of irritation of the esophagus due to acid reflux and weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter to contain the stomach contents. Sometimes, constant irritation leads to scarring of the esophagus and shortening of the esophageal tube leading to a severe hiatal hernia condition.

The main cause for hyperacidity are ‘hurry’, ‘worry’ and ‘curry’ which is present predominantly in this age group of 55 years. This triggers the vicious cycle of anxiety and hypertension both of which lead to hypersecretion of HCL. This condition of hyperacidity in turn irritates the esophagus leading to contraction of esophageal musculature and the stomach is pulled up into the chest even more.  Finally the amount of portion of the stomach being pulled through the hiatus reaches the maximum state and the blood supply to the stomach is obliterated. This leads to ischemia, and infarction of the stomach. At the last stage gangrene sets in as a process of putrefaction of dead tissue.