Hiatal Hernia Treatment
Your health care provider will create a care plan for you based on:
- Your age, overall health, and past health
- How serious your case is
- How well you handle some medicines, treatments, or therapies
- If your condition is expected to get worse
- What you would like to do
In most cases you won’t need treatment. But you may need medical care if your hernia:
- Is at risk of being twisted so much that blood supply is cut off to your stomach (strangulation)
- Is more difficult because of severe GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
- Is more difficult because of redness and swelling (inflammation) of your esophagus (esophagitis)
Your health care provider may suggest medicines to:
- Weaken or neutralize stomach acid (antacids)
- Reduce the amount of acid your stomach makes (H-2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors)
- Strengthen your LES or lower esophageal sphincter. The LES is the muscle that stops stomach acid from backing up into your esophagus.
In severe cases surgery may also be needed to:
- Make your hernia smaller
- Stop loss of blood flow to your stomach (strangulation) by closing the opening in your diaphragm