GERD can be caused by a hiatal hernia, which is when the upper part of the stomach moves up through an opening in the diaphragm. This can cause the lower esophageal sphincter and valve to function improperly, allowing food to move up the esophagus.
The connection between GERD and hiatus hernia is that GERD can occur due to hiatus hernia. GERD and hiatal hernia are two different medical conditions. GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a condition in which a person’s stomach contents move upward from the stomach and back up into the esophagus. A hiatus hernia is a condition in which the upper part of the stomach moves up through an opening in the diaphragm. To recognize the relationship between GERD and hiatal hernia, it’s probably best to first understand the anatomy of the area in question.
When a person swallows, food goes down the esophagus and stomach. Although the esophagus is connected to the stomach, both organs are located in different parts of the body; the esophagus is in the chest while the stomach is in the abdomen. The diaphragm is the muscle that essentially separates the chest from the abdomen. It has a small hole that the esophagus passes through to connect to the stomach. With a hiatal hernia, the upper part of the stomach ends up in the chest area.
Where the esophagus and stomach meet is the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which opens to allow food into the stomach and closes so food can’t go back up into the esophagus. The LES rests below the diaphragm and is closed most of the time. Under the LES is tissue that acts like a valve. When there is pressure in the stomach, this valve closes the esophagus, which is another way of stopping food from entering the esophagus. The esophagus connects to the stomach at an acute angle; this angle is what allows the valve to operate at the right amount of pressure.
What happens with GERD and hiatal hernia is that the latter causes the LES and valve to function improperly, allowing food to move up the esophagus. This is because with a hiatal hernia, as the upper stomach moves over the diaphragm and into the chest area, the pressure decreases. The LES normally depends on this pressure, which comes from the diaphragm, to function properly. In other words, because the LES is no longer in its correct position, it ceases to receive enough pressure to act as it should. In addition, the valve also loses the pressure it needs to function properly, because the sharp angle on which it depends is lost.
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