Hiatal Hernia - Rest Right, Inc.

Hiatal Hernias

About 60% of the population has a hiatal hernia. That does not mean that you have a gastroesophageal reflux disease. Some of the symptoms are bloating, belching and respiratory problems. If people have chronic bronchitis or pneumonia that may actually be aspirating acid from their stomach which goes down into the lungs causing the reflux. What happens if you have reflux for many years? The esophagus can't take the acid forever and it will scar and narrow causing a stricture. You can have esophagitis (inflammation) or erosions of the esophagus that have changed as a result of acid damage, and the damage may actually result in cancer.