Skip to main contentSkip to main content

Hiatus hernia



With a hiatus hernia you may:

  • have bad breath
  • burp and feel bloated
  • feel or be sick
  • have difficulty or pain when swallowing


Broadly, treatment follows these steps:

  1. Change your eating habits, for example, eat smaller, more frequent meals and do other things to help with the symptoms of GORD.
  2. If you smoke, try to give up, as it can irritate your digestive system and make your symptoms worse.
  3. Buy medicines from the pharmacy (ask the pharmacist what you should take to help with the symptoms of GORD).
  4. If medicines from the pharmacy and changing your eating habits do not help, see a GP, who can prescribe stronger medicines.

Surgery for a hiatus hernia

Keyhole surgery (also called a Laparoscopy) is usually used for a hiatus hernia. This involves making small cuts in your tummy (abdomen).


After surgery, it usually takes:

  • 2 to 3 days to go home
  • 3 to 6 weeks to go back to work
  • 6 weeks before you can eat what you want

