No this is not an 80’s song. But it does bring up strong feelings – of Pain and Burning.
Hiatal Hernia is when the upper part of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm muscle that separates the abdomen and the chest. This often traps acid and can force the acid into the esophagus due to the squeezing pressure on the stomach.
The esophagus, which runs from your throat to your stomach, is not designed to be exposed to acid. This constant bombardment of corrosive acid burns the inside of the esophagus and can change the structure of your esophagus. The esophagus will stop functioning the way it is supposed to which can lead to heartburn, difficulty swallowing, pain in the chest or abdomen, shortness of breath, or even vomiting blood in extreme cases.
So what can you do about it?
Sometimes surgery is an option though the wait time can be long for those who want to undertake it.
Medications can ellipse the problem and cover-up the symptoms but usually this is only short term relief.
According to one website search “hiatal hernia solutions”, there is an ad for “All Hernia Repair – Hiatal Hernia Repair Clearance” which includes “New users enjoy free return” – So not recommended.
I use this to make the point, that there are many options out there and not all are a good fit for each individual.
At Valley Mist Health, we use several techniques, including acupuncture, to help alleviate this issue. The treatments are individualized so we can increase your chance of success. We can not help everyone but many people avoid surgery and receive long-term relief.
What do you have to lose? Acid burning your esophagus.
What do you have to gain? Your stomach staying where it is supposed to be.
I will discuss hiatal hernia in depth in further blogs. Thanks for reading!
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