Hiatal Hernia Treatment – Home Treatment, Symptoms And Diet

Natural Treatment And Diet For Hiatal Hernia

Even though a hiatal hernia is a relatively common condition amongst the elderly, affecting almost 60% of those individuals above the age of 60, not many people are aware of the details surrounding the condition. The condition occurs when the upper portion of the stomach protrudes into the chest cavity through a small opening in the diaphragm called the esophageal hiatus. This opening is naturally present and allows the esophagus – the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach, to pass through the diaphragm. However, when the diaphragm tends to weaken with age, the opening can tend to become bigger which may allow the upward passage or entrapment of the upper stomach in the chest cavity. The hernia can be categorized into two distinct types. The first, where a part of the stomach will slide in and out of the chest cavity during periods of increased pressure in the abdominal activity and falls back down below the chest cavity to retain its normal position. The other, more severe type of the condition is when the portion of the stomach that ascends into the chest cavity gets trapped between the opening in the diaphragm and the esophagus. The complications arising from this could lead to suffocation and a lack of blood reaching the trapped area. This will cause the trapped part of your stomach to die out over a period of time, which may even require surgical removal to avoid fatal complications.

Diet For Hiatal Hernia

Some significant contributing factors in the build up to the condition include obesity, straining during bowel movements, frequent coughing, heavy weight lifting or frequent bending over, smoking and heredity. Some of the most common symptoms shown are heartburn, vomiting, regurgitation, abdominal discomfort, unexplained coughing, and bloated feeling just after eating. However, almost 50% of the people those suffer from the condition do not show any symptoms at all. The most effective way of avoiding this condition is to improve the quality of your life by making some changes to your daily habits. You need to reduce the amount of physical activity performed as well as improve your seating posture. Slouching excessively will greatly aggravate the condition. Exercising regularly and losing weight will also help tremendously. With regards to your diet, you should make it a point to stay away from chocolate, caffeine, peppermint, and alcohol. You should also avoid eating about 2 or 3 hours before going to bed. Instead of eating three large meals during the course of the day, try making a habit of eating 5 or 6 smaller meals to get you through the day.