Does Hiatus Hernia Cause Pain and Indigestion?
It is wrong to always blame a hiatus hernia for pain and indigestion. Hiatus hernias generally do not cause acute pain. This symptom may result from other disorders, such as peptic ulcers or even heart disease. Some patients with coronary heart disease fool themselves into believing their discomfort is due to a hiatus hernia. If upper-abdominal pain or indigestion occurs, people should not mislead themselves into thinking the cause is a hiatus hernia. Instead, the patient should seek medical advice. Diagnosis Diagnosis of a hiatus hernia is typically made through an upper GI barium x-ray. A complementary test is gastroscopy, or upper-intestinal endoscopy, in which the physician visually examines the esophagus and stomach using a flexible scope while the patient is lightly sedated. What Are the Complications? The complications of hiatus hernia are: • Chronic heartburn and inflammation of the lower esophagus, called reflux esophagitis • Anemia due to chronic bleeding from the lower esoph
