A diagnosis of hiatus hernia is fairly common. Some people, however, have little or no symptoms while others have fairly marked and persistent symptoms.
Most people are uncertain as to how serious a hiatus hernia is.
To understand a hiatus hernia, it is best to learn the normal anatomy and the abnormal changes that produce the hiatus hernia. The diaphragm is a thin, flat muscle separating the chest from the abdomen, moving up and down to regulate respiration. For any structure to pass through the diaphragm there must be an opening, referred to as a hiatus. The esophagus is a muscular tube that runs from the mouth to the stomach and propels food down with regular contractions. It runs through the chest, behind the lungs and heart, through the tight esophageal hiatus in the diaphragm to enter the stomach.