Can my hernia be causing my reflux?

At the bottom of the oesophagus, where it connects to the stomach, we all have a ring-shaped muscle called a sphincter. When you swallow, this muscle relaxes to allow food into your stomach. Then it immediately tightens and holds food and stomach acid in the stomach. Stomach acid backs up into your oesophagus, causing heartburn when this muscle fails to do its job. 

Your stomach is built up in a way that it can cope with so much acid, but it is not the same case with the oesophagus. A stomach abnormality calle d a hiatal hernia is one common cause of acid reflux disease. It occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter and the upper portion of the stomach pass above the diaphragm, dividing the stomach from your chest by the muscle wall.

The diaphragm generally helps to keep acid from rising into your oesophagus. But if you have a hiatal hernia, it's easier to move the acid upwards. In inducing acid reflux symptoms, Hiatal hernias are most frequently involved. When the upper part of the stomach is pulled up into the usual opening in the diaphragm where the oesophagus descends, a hiatal hernia occurs. Instead of matching up with the muscle band as it should, it makes a closed band around a part of the stomach. In this pouch, the acid will accumulate, inducing irritation.

Hence, it can be a very high possibility that your hernia specifically hiatal hernia may be causing your reflux leading to the painful experiences.