Lifestyle changes and medications can help control hiatal hernia symptoms.

Surgery might be necessary if lifestyle changes and medications do not work.

Treatment for a hiatal hernia helps prevent complications like difficulty breathing and decreased blood flow.

Treatment for a hiatal hernia includes lifestyle changes and medications. Surgery may be necessary for severe cases.

Adjusting your diet and sleep habits can help you manage hiatal hernia symptoms by reducing the production of stomach acid and preventing acid from leaking into your esophagus. Lifestyle modifications that can help minimize your symptoms include:

Medications can help control symptoms by reducing stomach acid production and neutralizing existing acid in your digestive system. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, your healthcare provider or gastroenterologist can either recommend over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs.

If you have mild symptoms, your healthcare provider will likely recommend OTC medications to control acid reflux and heartburn.

If OTC options are ineffective, your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to control your symptoms. Prescription medications for a hiatal hernia are stronger versions of OTC treatment options and may include the following medications:

Complementary therapies may also help control symptoms of acid reflux. Some people like to use these methods alongside conventional medical treatments, like lifestyle changes or medication. These options may help you find relief from your symptoms. However, it's worth noting that CAM therapies do not cure a hiatal hernia and should not replace treatments your healthcare provider recommends. 

If you're interested in trying CAM treatments, consider the following:

When lifestyle modifications and medications are not enough to treat your symptoms, your healthcare provider may recommend surgery. Of the two types of hernias, paraesophageal hernias often require surgical repair because they pose a higher risk of complications.

There are several surgical treatment options for hiatal hernia. Which surgical procedure healthcare providers recommend depends on the type, size, and severity of your hernia.

A Nissen fundoplication is the most common surgical procedure for treating hiatal hernias. This surgery is a minimally invasive procedure—meaning that your surgeon doesn't need to make large cuts into your skin to treat the hernia.

Instead, your surgeon will make small incisions in your abdomen and use a thin, flexible tube equipped with a camera (laparoscope) to perform the surgery. During the procedure, the surgeon will wrap the upper part of your stomach around the lower esophagus to tighten the lower esophagal sphincter (LES) and prevent stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus.

Hiatal hernia repair surgery involves placing the stomach back into its proper position and reducing the size of the diaphragm's opening. During the procedure, your surgeon will reposition your stomach and use sutures (stitches) and surgical mesh to reduce the size of the diaphragm's opening and reinforce the area to prevent your hernia from coming back. Surgeons may perform this surgery in one of two ways:

Laparoscopic surgery: Makes small incisions in the abdomen while using a laparoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a camera) to repair the hernia. This approach typically results in less pain, shorter recovery times, and smaller scars than traditional open surgery.

Open surgery: Involves surgeons making a large incision in the abdomen or chest to access and repair the hernia. Open surgery may be necessary for complex or very large hernias.

Collis-Nissen gastroplasty is a type of hiatal hernia surgery that lengthens the esophagus and tightens the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This helps prevent stomach acid from leaking into the esophagus. This procedure is recommended for people with large or complex hiatal hernias or a short esophagus.

During the procedure, the surgeon makes several small incisions in the abdomen and inserts a laparoscope equipped with surgical tools and a camera. Your surgeon will divide the stomach lengthwise, create a tube from the upper portion of the stomach, and wrap the tube around the LES before securing it into place using surgical staples.

Many people with a hiatal hernia have no symptoms. Those who experience symptoms can often manage the condition with lifestyle adjustments and medication. Treating a hiatal hernia can help prevent complications, such as esophagitis (narrowed esophagus), difficulty breathing if the hernia becomes large enough to press on the diaphragm, or reduced blood supply to the herniated portion of the stomach.

Being proactive about your health by making simple adjustments to your dietary habits, such as eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day and avoiding foods that trigger your symptoms can help reduce discomfort and improve your quality of life. But, if at-home remedies aren't helping, talk to your healthcare provider for support. They may recommend different treatments or surgery to repair the hernia and reduce symptoms.

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Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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