Hiatus hernia or hiatal hernia is an anatomical abnormality in which the upper portion of the stomach protrudes into the chest cavity through an opening of the diaphragm called the esophageal hiatus. This opening usually is large enough to accommodate the esophagus alone. With weakening and enlargement however, the opening (or herniation) can allow upward passage or even entrapment of the upper stomach above the diaphragm.
Hiatus hernia is a common condition. By age 60, up to 60% of people have it to some degree.
There are 2 types of hiatus hernia.

• The sliding type, as its name implies, occurs when the junction between the stomach and esophagus slides up through the esophageal hiatus during moments of increased pressure in the abdominal cavity. When the pressure is relieved, the stomach falls back down with gravity to its normal position.
• The fixed type; implies that there is no sliding up and down. A portion of the stomach remains stuck in the chest cavity.

It is thought that hiatus hernias are caused by a larger-than-normal esophageal hiatus, the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus passes from the chest into the abdomen; as a result of the large opening, part of the stomach "slips" into the chest.
Other potentially contributing factors include:

• A permanent shortening of the esophagus (perhaps caused by inflammation and scarring from the reflux or regurgitation of stomach acid), which pulls the stomach up.
• An abnormally loose attachment of the esophagus to the diaphragm, which allows the esophagus and stomach to slip upwards

Suspected causes or contributing factors

• Obesity
• Poor seated posture (such as slouching)
• Frequent coughing
• Straining with constipation
• Frequent bending over or heavy lifting
• Heredity
• Smoking
• Congenital defects

The vast majority of hiatus hernias are of the sliding type, and most of them are not associated with symptoms. The larger the hernia, the more likely it is to cause symptoms.

• Chest pain or pressure
• Heartburn
• Difficulty swallowing
• Coughing
• Belching
• Hiccups
• Pain: At times, a hiatal hernia causes chest pain or upper abdominal pain when the stomach becomes trapped above the diaphragm through the narrow esophageal hiatus.

When sliding hiatus hernias produce symptoms, they almost always are those of gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD ) or its complications. Additionally, it is known that patients with GERD are much more likely to have a hiatus hernia than individuals not afflicted by GERD .
Symptoms of uncomplicated GERD include:

• Heartburn
• Regurgitation
• Nausea

A complete physical examination including
Initial tests

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) to look for electrical disturbances of the heart from disease
• Chest x-ray
• Blood tests to look for anemia, infection, or injury to the heart, pancreas, or liver
• Other tests focusing on the cardiovascular and pulmonary organ systems if suspicion remains high for problems in these areas
• Possible follow-up tests
• Barium swallow or upper GI x-ray
• Endoscopy

As described in the article above Hiatus Hernia has multifactor ail causes. Homoeopathy follows an individualistic approach towards patients suffering from Hiatus Hernia we believe that every individual is different and thus a full in-depth case study is the first step. Then referring to the risk factors the individual was subjected too, a particular line of treatment is adopted. The usual conventional treatment provides only palliation. On the other hand our deep acting constitutional medicine cure the disease in depth rendering the patient free from the disease

A broad criterion of how the homoeopathic medicines act in cases of GERD is mentioned below. The response to treatment can differ from one individual to another patients are advised to consult so that the mode of treatment can be discussed pertaining to their particular case

Relieving Symptoms: Homoeopathic treatment helps in relieving symptoms like

• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Belching
• Difficulty swallowing
• Coughing
• Belching
• Hiccups Bloating
• Feeling full after only a few bites of food
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Pallor, sweating, and rapid (or "racing") heart beat.
• Chest pain or severe stomach pain

Controlling and curing the underlying disease process:
It helps by curing the inflammation & damage of the oesophagus mucosal lining caused stomach acids and prevents any further herniation of the stomach rendering the patient free from disease.

• If homoeopathic treatment is sought early it helps in preventing the progress of disease and preventing any complications
• We at DRSS provide our patients with diet charts, exercise schedules and guide them how to modify their lifestyle so that better results can be achieved.
• Our medicines can be started with conventional treatment depending upon the disease state and case.
• Homoeopathic medicines if taken under proper guidance from a well-qualified professional are extremely safe and have no side effects.