Hiatus hernia is a common anatomical abnormality in which a part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm and up into the chest. There are several factors that are identified as causes of hiatus hernia. There are three types of hiatus hernias that include sliding hiatus hernia, fixed hiatus hernia and complicated or serious hiatus hernia. Most of the times the causes are same for all the three types of hiatus hernias; however, they may differ sometimes. The causes of hiatus hernia help in choosing the right kind of treatment methods for the disease.
The main cause behind hiatus hernia is an increased pressure in the abdominal cavity. The pressure in the abdomen may increase for several factors like heavy lifting or frequent bending over; sudden physical exertion; frequent or hard coughing; hard sneezing; pregnancy and delivery; violent vomiting; straining with constipation; obesity (extra weight pushes down on the abdomen increasing the pressure); use of the sitting position for defecation, etc. The other factors like excess fluid in the abdomen can also increase pressure in the abdominal cavity. Heredity is another probable cause behind hiatus hernia. Obesity is also a cause, as the overweight people are found to be at a higher risk of getting affected by the disease. Sometimes, exercises like excessive weightlifting can also become a cause of hiatus hernia.
Another major cause of hiatus hernia is an improper dietary schedule. The people who consume large amounts of white flour refined sugar and products made from them like cakes, pastries, biscuits, white bread, etc. are prone to hiatus hernia. Consumption of food with preservatives and flavourings can also devitalise the immune system and weaken muscle tone. In this way, the people having improper diet become more prone to decomposition and damage and this ultimately leads them to diseases like hiatus hernia.
Apart from the above mentioned food items a few drinks like tea, coffee and alcohol are also considered as possible causes of hiatus hernia. These drinks may affect the mucous lining of the stomach and irritate the digestive tract. If taken with meals, these drinks can encourage fermentation and produce gas and thus decrease the distension of the stomach. In this way, they cause pressure against the diaphragm and the esophageal opening and also increase the risk of hernia.
Hiatus hernia usually occurs when the tough fibres that normally hold the gastro-oesophageal sphincter in place are stretched. Hiatus hernia also happens when the muscles of the diaphragm become more flexible. Both of these may occur with increasing age and hence, age is considered one of the causes of hiatus hernia. About one in three people over 50 is found to have a small hiatus hernia and it is present in almost half the people aged above 60 years.
Besides the above mentioned causes, there are many factors that are considered probable causes of hiatus hernia. The factors like straining to pass urine (for example, the men who have prostate trouble), having a long-term cough (like smoker`s cough), using drugs like cocaine, shallow breathing, mental and emotional tensions, etc. are some of the possible causes of hiatus hernia. If there is a permanent shortening of the esophagus, which pulls the stomach up, it may become a cause of hiatus hernia. Apart from these, having an abnormally loose attachment of the esophagus to the diaphragm that allows the esophagus and stomach to slip upwards is a cause of hiatus hernia as well.
