People dismiss heartburn and reflux because it’s so common but it can affect quality of life and if it worsens over time you ...

G.P. The diaphragm is a large muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen, and important structures have to go through it. So, there is a hole in the diaphragm called the hiatus.

Most hiatal hernias are thought to be congenital, meaning you were born with the propensity to have a larger-than-needed hole in the diaphragm.

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, around 5 per cent to 15 per cent of hiatal hernias fall under the paraesophageal category, with prevalence increasing in older ...