There are two major types of hiatal hernia, the sliding hiatus hernia and the rolling hiatus hernia; with sliding hiatus hernia, the gastro-esophageal junction rises up above the diaphragm and carries a part of the stomach with it as a result of increased pressure in the abdominal cavity; then when the pressure is relieved the junction falls back into its normal position. In rolling hiatus hernia, the stomach rises up above the diaphragm as before but instead remains stuck in the chest cavity and does not return to its normal position.

The risk of hiatal hernia is increased by anything that raises the pressure within the abdomen such as heavy lifting or bending, hard coughing, pregnancy, straining while urinating or defecating, or hard sneezing. Other contributors include smoking, stress, obesity or congenital defects.

In most cases hiatal hernia causes no symptoms but when it does, the symptoms can include acid reflux, chest pain, regurgitation, difficulty swallowing and heartburn. Hiatal hernia can lead to gastro-esophageal reflux disease (also known as GERD) which is a condition where the esophagus is irritated by stomach acid and digestive enzymes that are constantly backing up into it.

Since there are several things that could cause these symptoms, the only way to know for sure if you suffer from hiatal hernia or something more serious will be to run a few tests such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) test, blood tests, chest x-rays, or an endoscopy – which is the passing of a fiber-optic scope through your mouth and into your stomach.

A few things that you can do to prevent hiatal hernia or to avoid its symptoms if you already have it, are to minimize heavy lifting and bending, try not to slouch when you sit, exercise more, lose weight if you are obese, eliminate caffeine, fried and fatty foods, alcohol and late night snacks from your diet. Eating several small meals instead of a few large ones will also be helpful in preventing GERD symptoms.

More often than not, people with hiatal hernia experience no problems at all and no treatment is required; if you do experience the symptoms, your doctor will most likely recommend over-the-counter drugs or if necessary, stronger prescription antacids for dealing with your complaints.

However, if the hiatal hernia is sever and causes chronic acid reflux, surgery may be recommended as prolonged gastro-esophageal reflux can seriously injure the esophagus and may even result in cancer. The aim of the surgical procedure will be to wrap the displaced portion of the stomach around the inferior part of the diaphragm to keep it in place and prevent it from sliding back into the chest cavity