Why Is It Suggested To Not Drink Alcohol With Hiatal Hernia?

Posted on Fri, 31 Aug 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 Answered on

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : Why is it suggested not to drink alcohol with hiatal hernia? I understand that the more acidic the environment the more potential for acid that causes inflammation but moderate consumption should be okay right? I drink 2 glasses of wine about 2-3 times a week and fing it hard to socialize with friends and family with alcohol constrictions. I find that coffee upsets my issue moreso.

Answered by Dr. Rajeev Chavda (8 hours later)

Thanks for posting your query. I am happy to address your questions. Alcohol increases the production of stomach acid. Alcohol also relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), allowing stomach contents to reflux back up into the esophagus. This is compounded in hiatus hernia. When the XXXXXXX relaxes, it causes swallowing contractions to become erratic and makes the esophagus more sensitive to stomach acid. Thus, it is advisable to avoid the foods that can trigger your heartburn, either by increasing acid production and gastric pressure or by loosening the lower sphincter muscle. Also, avoid foods that can irritate the lining of the esophagus, such as spicy foods, coffee, citrus fruit and alcohol. Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help. Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar