There are generally two types of hiatal hernia: sliding hiatal hernias and fixed, or paraesophageal, hernias. Sliding hiatal hernia. This is the more common ...HealthlineSubscribeHiatalHerniaMedicallyreviewedbyAlanaBiggers,M.D.,MPH—WrittenbyAmandaDelgado—UpdatedonMarch22,2019CausesTypesSymptomsEmergenciesHiatalherniasandGERDDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionWeincludeproductswethinkareusefulforourreaders.Ifyoubuythroughlinksonthispage,wemayearnasmallcommission.Here’sourprocess.Whatisahiatalhernia?Ahiatalherniaoccurswhentheupperpartofyourstomachpushesupthroughyourdiaphragmandintoyourchestregion.Thediaphragmisalargemusclethatliesbetweenyourabdomenandchest.Youusethismuscletohelpyoubreathe.Normally,yourstomachisbelowthediaphragm,butinpeoplewithahiatalhernia,aportionofthestomachpushesupthroughthemuscle.Theopeningitmovesthroughiscalledahiatus.Thisconditionmostlyoccursinpeoplewhoareover50yearsold.Itaffectsupto60percentofpeoplebythetimethey’re60yearsold,accordingtotheEsophagealCancerAwarenessAssociation.Whatcausesahiatalhernia?Theexactcauseofmanyhiatalherniasisn’tknown.Insomepeople,injuryorotherdamagemayweakenmuscletissue.Thismakesitpossibleforyourstomachtopushthroughyourdiaphragm.Anothercauseisputtingtoomuchpressure(repeatedly)onthemusclesaroundyourstomach.Thiscanhappenwhen:coughingvomitingstrainingduringbowelmovementsliftingheavyobjectsSomepeoplearealsobornwithanabnormallylargehiatus.Thismakesiteasierforthestomachtomovethroughit.Factorsthatcanincreaseyourriskofahiatalherniainclude:obesityagingsmokingTypesofhiatalherniaTherearegenerallytwotypesofhiatalhernia:slidinghiatalherniasandfixed,orparaesophageal,hernias.SlidinghiatalherniaThisisthemorecommontypeofhiatalhernia.Itoccurswhenyourstomachandesophagusslideintoandoutofyourchestthroughthehiatus.Slidingherniastendtobesmall.Theyusuallydon’tcauseanysymptoms.Theymaynotrequiretreatment.FixedhiatalherniaThistypeofherniaisn’tascommon.It’salsoknownasaparaesophagealhernia.Inafixedhernia,partofyourstomachpushesthroughyourdiaphragmandstaysth