Patient's question:
Doctor, hello! I've been feeling uncomfortable in my intestines recently, and sometimes it even hurts. I went to the hospital for a thorough check-up and was diagnosed with hiatal hernia. I've never heard of such a disease, and I'm afraid I might have a terminal illness, so I want to ask what hiatal hernia is?Doctor's answer:
Hiatal hernia is a disease in internal medicine, where the organs in the abdomen enter the chest through the esophageal hiatus. It is generally asymptomatic or has mild symptoms, and some people only discover it during a health check-up. This is not a terminal illness. The main hazards are: 1. Damage leading to anemia, 2. Reflux esophagitis causing difficulty swallowing and dry cough, 3. Hiatal hernia strangulation leading to severe bleeding that can be life-threatening. Treatment can be surgical.