Hiatal Hernia Diagnosis

In this video, Dr. Vikki Petersen explains why hiatal hernia diagnosis can be challenging, especially for cases involving a sliding hiatal hernia. She answers a viewer’s question about how an X-ray detected a hiatal hernia while an endoscopy did not, emphasizing that sliding hernias move up and down and may not always be visible during medical imaging. She also discusses subclinical hiatal hernias, which may not appear on scans but still cause acid reflux, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, anxiety, and chest pressure. Dr. Petersen encourages people with unexplained digestive and nervous system symptoms to seek a root-cause treatment approach, rather than relying on symptom management alone.

Read Dr. Vikki’s book on Hiatal Hernia Syndrome to find out more about all the symptoms of this condition