I go to a chiropractor and he manually pulls my stomach down. The first time he did it.....instantly I could breath again! So much pressure and pain was relieved. He says that eventually it will heal as long as we keep the stomach where it belongs.

You should see a gastroenterologist and have an endoscopy to see what's going on.

I had an endoscopy and that is how they found my hiatal hernia

Hi there...i also have a hiatal hernia and have been trying to figure out if pains in my abdomen/stomach area are in any relation to the hernia. My pain is located right around my hernia, but seems like i can almost touch it. If i am to follow my left rib cage down, starting at my sternum...it's about 3 or four inches down. Veery weird sensations that probably get worse as i worry about the discomfort. I have always has a difficult time with my indigestion, and wonder if maybe something else is starting to go wrong in there. Who knows. But i can definitely pin point the area. I am going to meet with a gastroenterologist as soon as my insurance kicks in, but until then i would like to know if any one else can relate, and if so, were you treated? Thanks a bunch.

Hi Ischoonover- I can relate! I have no idea what it is and I've HAD an endoscopy. He says my stomach is perfectly fine, smooth, just a small hiatal hernia that he cannot relate to my discomfort. I don't always have it, but sometimes it's under my ribcage (and it's not gas folks), and some times it's as you say, 3-4 inches right below where I'm supposing the end of my esophagus is. Is your related to any food - does it stop when you don't eat or happen when you do eat? Have you had an endoscopy? I've just been living with my discomfort. I stopped drinking coffee a week ago and I had a cup today and the caffeine hit me like a ton of bricks. He put me on Protonix a week ago and things have gotten better.

That's the phenoesophageal ligament you're speaking of. It anchors things in place. When that weakens --you have yourself a hernia

A hernia itself cannot be infected and inflamed . It's a weakness in the diaphram where part of the stomach and esophagus slide up into the chest. It doesn't stay in the chest , a sliding hernia slides up and back down. Your stomach and esophagus may be inflamed however. If you really had an infection you'd be given antibiotics.

Many people have hernias but don't have any symptoms. -- in fact they don't even know they have a hernia. A hernia itself doesn't really cause symptoms. In some people , a hernia contributes to GERD---by affecting the Lower Esophageal Sphincter and allowing abnormal acid exposure to the esophagus --- and it's the acid that causes heartburn and other symptoms.

Sometimes GERD can affect your breathing by allowing acid in your breathing tubes. A hernia itself can't cause breathing problems--- well a hiatal hernia can affect breathing only if it's a really really big one. If you have a lot of gas, that can affect breathing too. Or you may have a seperate problem. It's good you're getting additional tests for your breathing.

I have a hiatal hernia. i took acid reducing medication (Prevacid, Zantaz, Protonics) forever until I learned about the "diaphragm shifting technique"...However I do for free at home and don't need a chiropractor... Now I never have it don't need medications and all is good!

Biopsies of the esophagus are taken at endoscopy to check for esophagitis ( esophageal inflamation) , Barretts esophagus , and biopsies of the stomach are taken to check for h pylori bacteria etc. It is routine. Most people are biopsied , i was.

It was good that I was biosied to realize I had a Hiatal Hernia and then I found out how to cure it naturally for free using the diaphragm shifting technique.

That sounds pretty severe - you should have gone to the emergency room. See your gastroenterologist as soon as possible.