Contact (631) 385-8677 About Our physicians Services Patient info Patient education Frequently asked questions Health & diet news Hiatal hernia & heartburn What you need to know: Esophagus: The tube through which food reaches the stomach Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES): A muscular ring-like valve that opens to let food into the stomach and closes to keep stomach contents from backing up into the esophagus. Diaphragm: A muscular partition between the abdominal cavity and the chest cavity. The opening through which the esophagus passes is called the esophageal hiatus. Pylorus: A muscular, valve-like opening that regulates the flow of stomach contents into the duodenum Duodenum: The duodenum is the first section of the small intestine and is is largely responsible for the breakdown of food in the small intestine, using enzymes. The duodenum also regulates the rate of emptying of the stomach via hormonal pathways. Hiatal Hernia: A protrusion of part of the stomach above the diaphragm. When the hiatus allows the LES and part of the stomach to protrude upward into the chest cavity, the result is a hiatal hernia. This condition is found in up to 50% of the population over the age of 50. If no symptoms are associated with it, treatment is usually not required. Frequently, however, patients with hiatal hernia also suffer from the symptom of heartburn. Heartburn is the result of stomach acid reflux into the esophagus. This occurs because of a failure of the LES to close properly. When this happens, stomach contents (which usually contain acid) are pushed back up into the esophagus, causing irritation and the burning sensation commonly called “heartburn.” Regurgitation of food and bile may also occur. Heartburn can also occur without hiatal hernia. Related articles Diverticulosis/diverticulitis Diverticulosis: Characterized by the formation of pockets in the lining of the large intestine. Diverticulitis: The acute stage of diverticulosis, when the pockets are infected or inflamed. Irritable bowel syndrome What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of the intestines that leads to crampy pain, gassiness, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. Read more Gerd Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be thought of as chronic heartburn. The term refers to the frequent backing up (reflux) of stomach contents (food, acid and/or bile) into the esophagus. … If this is a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1 (631) 385-8677 Our representatives are available to answer your questions weekdays from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. You may also leave a voice mail message after regular business hours, and we will return your call. To schedule an appointment please call the office of your gastroenterologist. If you have questions regarding anesthesia services or bills please contact North Shore-LIJ Anesthesiology (914) 666-8866 Medical website by Omnizant Interactive HIPAA privacy Patients’ bill of rights Registration forms About Services Physicians Patient info Patient education Frequently asked questions (631) 385-8677 Contact HIPAA privacy Patients’ bill of rights Registration forms © 2021 Northwell Health, Digestive Health Center of Huntington Go to top