The symptoms of hiatus hernia are reduced by some lifestyle changes like: eating small frequent meals rather than fewer large meals, avoid bending over or lying down after a meal, foods like spicy food, coffee and alcohol must be avoided, no smoking, lose excess weight if overweight and must sleep propped up on plenty of pillows or with the head end of the bed raised 10 cm.
People can take two medicines without prescription of a doctor like Antacids and H2 blockers. Antacids is liquid or tablet form and contain magnesium or aluminium which neutralize the stomach acid. Alginate is an ingredient which is contained by others and forms a barrier that floats on the top of the stomach contents and prevents them splashing back into the gullet, so it prevents heartburn and reflux symptoms.
Another medicine which can be taken is Bismuth, Rennies and Gaviscon. Antacids contain many ingredients. In case when the antacids are not working or must be taken a large quantities of antacids, a more powerful medication can be taken by a recommandation of a pharmacist. These powerful drugs are H2 blockers (H2 antagonists) which reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach. The two of these medications are famotidine (Pepcid Two) and ranitidine (Zantac).
If a person needs medicines more than two or three times a week for indigestion regularly should consult a doctor, because he can prescribe longer-acting H2 antagonists. A proton pump inhibitor which reduce acid production can be prescribed by the doctor. Other two medicines are omeprazole (Losec) and lansoprazole (Zoton). Sucralfate or carboxenoxolone are other medicines which protect the stomach lining by the acid-attack.
Sometimes in hiatus hernia people use a complementary treatments like acupuncture, relaxation and visualisation, yoga and tai chi which are helpful, but their effects are unknown and they are not evidenced from scientific point that being effective.
Surgery is used rarely when the hiatus hernia causes severe symptoms or complications and this operation is named a fundoplication. This operation consists in a cut done in the upper abdomen, then the stomach is pushed into the correct position and secured it there and finally is repaired the gap of the diaphragm. There are two types of surgery: open surgery which can be made through an incision in the abdomen or keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery.
People with hiatus hernia should make changes in their lifestyle and have to take the correct treatment for their disease.
Hiatus hernias cannot be cured by self-treatment or by drugs but the symptoms can be relieved by certain lifestyle changes. Avoiding heavy meals, replacing them with small frequent ones, avoiding bending forward or lying down after meals, are primer rules in lightening symptoms. Spicy foods, cigarette smoking, alcohol and coffee usually cause severe symptoms. Persons suffering from overweight must rapidly loose weight. Also patients should sleep with an excess pillow at night to prevent regurgitation and heartburn.
The most required medication of patients with hiatus hernia is antacids to prevent chest burnings and pain. These tend to neutralize the acid gastric reflux as they contain magnesium or aluminum. Antacids are available in liquid or tablet form and can sometimes contain an alginate producing an outer protective layer of the stomach. This floats on top of the gastric contents and prevents them from splashing back into the gullet. This method will reduce all reflux symptoms and heartburn caused by the gastric acid. Bismuth compounds create a protective layer on the stomach content as well. Some antacids are mixtures like Rennies and Gaviscon.
Severe cases of hiatus hernia symptoms and complications require high amounts of antacids that can actually show no real benefit. You physician will in this case prescribe more powerful medication like H2 blockers that will reduce the acid production of the stomach. H2 blockers are also known as H2 antagonists and are contained in drugs like Famotidine (commercially called Pepcid Two) and Ranitidine (Zantac). All these medication can be pursued without any medical prescription.
Drugs requiring a prescription need to be indicated by a specialist gastroenterologist. Anyone with prolonged severe indigestion symptoms needing more than 3-3 times a week medication should discuss the problems with a physician. Specialists may prescribe longer-action H2 antagonists or other kinds of medications such as proton pump inhibitors. These inhibitors also reduce the acid gastric production and are contained in products like Omeprazole (Losec) and Lansoprazole (Zoton).
Some prescription medicines work by producing a protective coat on the stomach lining keeping the gastric mucosa safe from the acid-attack. Such chemical compounds are Sucralfate and Carbenoxolone.
Beside non-prescription and prescription requiring medications, there are few complementary therapies available: a better postural balance achieved with the Alexander technique, relaxation, visualization, yoga or acupuncture. In some particular cases, all these methods can be benefic, but no scientific proves suggest their efficiency.
In very severe cases, also very rarely encountered, surgery may be required. The intervention is called fundoplication and involves pushing the stomach back into the abdomen by a cut and securing it there. Any further gap in the diaphragm must be repaired. The procedure can be done by traditional or laparoscopic method.
Groshan Fabiola has sinced written about articles on various topics from Woman Menopause, Medical Condition and Health. For more information about ">Umbilical Hernia or resources about. Groshan Fabiola's top article generates over 6120000 views. to your Favourites.