Evening star., 1963-05-03
StopKiIIing
Yourself
Hiutus Hernia
Treatments and
Symptoms VuY

q woman OF 55 and have
Just completed an extensive
physical examination. My
doctor says I have hiatus
hernia. He did not prescribe
any kind of treatment or a
diet. Is this usual?
He wants me to make notes
as to what / am doing when
the pain comes on and how
long the pain lasts. He
doesn't care to see me again
until three weeks have passed.
What causes hiatus hernia
and what advice would you
give q patient who had one?
Mrs. B.
LET'S SKIP AROUND in
answering your questions.
Hiatus hernia is a weakness
In the diaphragm where the
oesophagus tube leading
from mouth into stomach)
comes through. Because Of
this weakness, q part of the
stomach can slide UP into
the chest.
Some people may have this
weakness for years without
any symptoms. They require
no treatment. Others, like
yourself who have pain need
to take pills to relax the
oesophagus and stomach.
Some need tranquilizers.
In many, diet is important.
Frequent small meals and
getting out of the habit Of
eating directly before retir-
ing help. Another aid is to
sleep on three pillows. When
you are flat it's easier for
the stomach to slide up into
the chest. Only in exceptional
cases is operation necessary
for the treatment of hiatus
hernia.
It's revealing that I receive
so many letters from read
ers about hiatus hernia. For
1t wasn't too long ago that
this diagnosis was rarely
made because 1t was over
looked In the X-ray tech
niques used. Now, most doc
tors are on their diagnostic
toes when confronted by any
patient whose symptoms
don't seem to fit into a COM
mon. recognizable cubbyhole.
They make sure to rule out
hiatus hernia when the
search for trouble in the gall
bladder, or ulcer, or coro-
nary disease reveals no evi-
dence of illness.
HH
For Mr.. Y:
Yes, 1t is true, that en-
gineers have helped design
ball-type valves which are
now used by surgeons in re-
pairing heart valves. The
ball rolls freely back and
forth in a small cage to per-
NIT passage Of blood as
needed.
For Mr.. A.:
Stomach-freez for the
cure of ulcer Is still in the
experimental stage. Only rel
atively few physicians are
sufficiently acquainted with
this method to be trusted
in its performance. Neverthe-
less, 1t holds much promise
Any successful medical treat
ment will be much more well
come than surgery, which
does not always guarantee
success.
For Mrs. o.:
I BELIEVE 1t is not using
good judgment to give a yes
or no answer to this ques-
ton: Shall an incurably Ill
patient be told the truth?"
One doctor says he always
tells the truth-and he has
yet to see any patient be-
come suicidal or mentally un-
balanced at hearing the bd
news. Another says he never
tells the patient the truth.
Somewhere In between thes
Vws Is the answer, I think.
I have known patients who
tried to commit suicide on
getting the truth. It's the
doctors Job to lean towards
truthfulneSs rather than be-
fuddling his patient with
double talk; nevertheless
there are exceptions who will
be thrown off balance when
faced with the hard facts.
Bell.Mcclure syndicate)
DR.. Steincrohn's Iedtlet,
Hon to Manage Your Memo
pause" tDiH be mailed on
receipt OF a stamped, SELF
addressed envelope and 10
cents IN coin for handling.
Address DR.. Steincrohn in
care OF The Euenin0 Star.
MoAddy: oveE. .tFeoted.