When the upper part of the stomach pokes through the esophageal hiatus, because of a weakness in its muscles, hiatal hernia occurs. The esophageal hiatus is the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus enters the abdominal cavity.
At the esophagus’ end there is the lower esophageal sphincter which has the role of a valve – it only allows food to travel one-way. There is also a second valve, which is the esophageal hiatus. The two valves are synchronized so that food from the stomach does not return back where it came from.
If the muscles get weak and the abdominal pressure increases, eventually the hiatus will stretch so much that the upper part of the stomach will pass through it thus causing the hiatal hernia.
In the early phases hiatal hernia does not present any symptoms so mostly it is discovered when you visit your doctor for a routine check. But as the illness advances symptoms are starting to appear. Among these there is heartburn, epigastric pain and rarely some infections
Paraesophageal hernia may cause some incarcerations or more acute epigastric pain, because of a strangulation. This type of hernia is rare but it is...