Health encyclopaedia

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Symptoms of Hernia, hiatus

The main symptom of a hiatus hernia is severe heartburn and regurgitation, when stomach acid refluxes back into the oesophagus, causing a deep burning pain behind the breast bone, made worse by bending forward, by straining and by lying down. The pain may disturb sleep and may be so severe as to be mistaken for angina or a heart attack. Regurgitation may cause painful damage to the gullet lining, even ulceration and bleeding. Anaemia may result from blood loss. Constant acid irritation of the gullet can make swallowing difficult.

Rarely, the hiatus hernia can become strangulated (i.e., constricted) cutting off the blood supply, this requires emergency surgery.

 However, in many cases a hiatus hernia causes no symptoms and is diagnosed by chance during routine investigation.

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