CHEST PAIN

[Sonj]

I am a 46 year women who for the past 2 years have had chest pain, nausea and severe headaches. Have gone to
several different doctors and had lots of test. They found that I have severe acid reflux I take 2 to 3 nexium a day and Zantac at bedtime and found out 3 months ago I have a hital hernia. My family has a history of heart trouble and had a heart cath on Monday and found no blockage. So the heart doctor thinks that the chest pain is caused from the hital hernia and the acid reflux and thinks that having the chest pain as bad as I have it that surgery is needed for the hernia. I need some advice on this can anyone help me.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Fundoplication is the name of the surgical method employed to treate hiatal hernia. During the Nissen fundoplication, the upper part of the stomach is wrapped around the LES to strengthen the sphincter, prevent acid reflux, and repair a hiatal hernia. The Nissen fundoplication may also be performed using a laparoscope.

You can gain more information about this technique from the following website:
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/

Chronic GERD that is untreated can cause serious complications like barret’s esophagus and esophageal malignancy.So pls get fundoplication done if your doctor’s are advising it.

Hope it helps.Take care and regards.

[Sonj]

Thank you for your comment Yes I have had an endoscopy performed 3 months ago that is when they found the hiatal hernia they said it very common to have one and that is all the doctor said. He said that I would just have to live with it, please tell me that there is help for me that there something that can help me.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Chest pain along with nausea means cardiac or GI causes.Since cardiac causes have been ruled out,so GI causes are to be looked into.

As the doctors have confirmed that you have severe acid reflux and it may be due to hiatal hernia,then pls get yourself evaluated for it.Did you get upper GI endoscopy done?Hiatal hernis are confirmed by that.

Hiatal hernia is an anatomical abnormality in which part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm and up into the chest.The treatment for hiatal hernias is surgery(fundoplication).You can get more information about it from the following website:
http://www.****.***

Hope I have provided you with sufficient information. In case you have any additional queries, then pls post us.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing.