What is a hiatal hernia

"Hernias occur when one part of the body protrudes through a gap or opening into another part. Most are in th abdominal area," says Walter Bruning, MD, who practices internal medicine with Baptist Medical Associates (Middletown).

Hiatal hernias form at the opening in your diaphragm where your food pipe joins your stomach.

"Most small hiatal hernias don’t cause any problems, and you may never know you have a hiatal hernia unless your doctor discovers it when checking for another condition. But a large hiatal hernia can allow food and acid to back up into your esophagus, leading to heartburn and chest pain," Dr. Bruning says.

These signs and symptoms tend to become worse when you lean forward, strain, lift heavy objects or lie down, and they can also worsen during pregnancy.

"Most cases of heartburn are mild and temporary. But if your symptoms are severe, occur often, or are accompanied by coughing, wheezing, asthma, a sore throat, difficulty swallowing or chest pain, talk to your doctor," Dr. Bruning adds.

If you know you have a large hiatal hernia and experience severe chest pain, difficulty breathing or trouble swallowing, seek medical care immediately.

You may get relief with a few simple changes in your lifestyle. If you’re overweight, losing weight alone may relieve your symptoms.