Dr. Joan Delyse Waters

Northern Colorado's naturopathic gastro doctor serving Fort Collins, Windsor, Greeley, Loveland and surrounding areasCall 970-482-2010 to reserve your space. 

We are located upstairs in the Wellness Center at 3950 JFK Parkway #2  Fort Collins, CO  80525

Hiatal hernia syndrome

Hiatal hernia syndrome is a group of symptoms often found when a patient has either a hiatal hernia

or when the stomach is pushing up against the diaphragm, causing symptoms similar to those of a hiatal hernia.  A hiatal hernia occurs when part of the stomach protrudes up through the diaphragm.  Symptoms associated with hiatal hernia syndrome include acid reflux, anxiety, hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid level), low level of pancreatic enzyme secretion and sometimes difficulty swallowing.

Hiatal hernias occur when there is increased intra-abdominal pressure, such as during pregnancy, when wearing clothing that is tight at the waist, from holding breath while lifting weights or heavy items and from vomiting violently.  A sliding hiatal hernia is one that comes and goes spontaneously.

I ask my patients who have had a recent EGD (upper endoscopy) performed for a copy of the endoscopy report.  Quite often the report will state that there was a hiatal hernia apparent at the time of the endoscopy, but corrective treatment is not usually offered.

I perform an adjustment for hiatal hernia syndrome in my office.  I place gentle tension on tissues nearby and hold that gentle tension while the body itself does the correction.  The patient may feel movement of the tissues in the area of the stomach, may sense a 'bubbling sensation' in their upper abdomen or may feel nothing other than my gentle tension during the procedure.  If the hiatal hernia noted on the endoscopy report is significant (40 to 80%), I will refer the patient to a gastroenterologist for surgical correction.

Many patients notice that they feel like their chest is 'more open', and that they feel like they can breathe more easily after the correction.  Some report that swallowing pills and solid food is easier and an improvement in their acid reflux.