Hiatal hernia is a medical condition that occurs when a part of the stomach pushes up through the diaphragm into the chest cavity. This condition can cause various symptoms, including heartburn, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, and regurgitation of stomach acid.
But can it also cause left shoulder pain?
In this article, we will explore the relationship between hiatal hernia and left shoulder pain. We will also talk about the possible causes of this symptom and how it can be treated. Read on if you have pain in your left shoulder or want to find out more about hiatal hernia. You'll find some helpful tips and insights.
Can Hiatal Hernia Cause Neck And Shoulder Pain?
One of the most common questions we receive from patients is, "Can a hiatal hernia cause neck and shoulder pain?"
And the answer is, especially regarding shoulder pain, probably not.
We say that because, on the one hand, hiatal hernias are known to cause chronic coughing, which can cause pain/discomfort in both the neck and the shoulders. Additionally, the intense heartburn from a hiatal hernia may feel like it’s radiating to the shoulders sometimes.
However, reports of hiatal hernias causing shoulder pain are extremely rare (if not non-existent) in the medical literature. We found no studies demonstrating a hernia directly causing isolated shoulder pain after searching in standard medical journals.
As for neck pain, a 1970s report of 22 patients with hiatal hernias complaining of head and neck symptoms found that only 2 reported distinct neck pain. The sample is pretty small, but you get the idea.
The more common symptoms reported in the study were linked to the throat, such as:
- A lump or foreign body sensation and,
- Hoarseness
To sum it up, if you’re suffering from both a hiatal hernia and neck/shoulder pain, they’re probably unrelated.
As a quick reminder: A hiatal hernia is a disorder in which a part of the stomach pushes up through a hole in the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a muscle that separates your chest and abdominal cavity. It can cause several symptoms that can be confusing to patients. Hence, you must seek a medical consult to get a proper diagnosis, especially when the symptoms have been going on for a while.
What Part Of The Body Does A Hiatal Hernia Affect?
Hiatal hernia primarily affects:
- The stomach,
- The throat (discomfort in swallowing) and the
- Chest area
By far, the most common symptom of a hiatal hernia is heartburn. Heartburn is a burning sensation behind your breastbone. It often happens after you eat fatty or spicy foods or drink alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, or hard liquor (spirits). These types of foods and beverages make the stomach produce more acid. Due to the hernia, this acid reflux then causes a burning sensation.
Just keep in mind that not everyone with heartburn has a hiatal hernia. You might have heartburn for various reasons, and a hiatal hernia is just one of them.
To repeat once again, symptoms in these areas are produced because the tissue between your esophagus and stomach weakens, and part of your stomach moves up into your chest cavity.
Can A Hiatal Hernia Make My Left Arm Hurt?
It's possible. Hiatal hernias frequently cause upper abdominal pain and discomfort in the chest. That discomfort can also radiate to the shoulders, as we mentioned in the beginning. This is because when your stomach presses against your diaphragm, it can irritate your esophagus and trachea (windpipe).
Additionally, the diaphragm is also connected to muscles in the chest wall that help control breathing. If these muscles become irritated, they could make breathing hard or lead to chronic coughing. As we also mentioned earlier, this could lead to shoulder joint pain in some people.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Strangulated Hiatal Hernia?
A strangulated hiatal hernia occurs when there is no blood flow to part of the bulging hernia.
In relation to this, you may have signs such as:
- Nausea,
- Vomiting,
- Diarrhea,
- Fever, and
- Chills
If you experience any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
What Can Be Done To Avoid A Hiatus Hernia?
- Avoid straining. This includes coughing or sneezing and laughing too hard (which can be tricky).
- Avoid heavy lifting. If your job requires lifting heavy things often, get enough rest between shifts so your body has time to recover from the strain.
- Eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of one big meal at night. This will help keep your diaphragm from getting too much pressure and lower your chances of getting a hiatus hernia.
- Exercise regularly! Exercise strengthens the abdominal muscles, making them better able to support an enlarged stomach. It also lowers stress levels by releasing endorphins into our bodies, which lowers anxiety levels overall (and thus reduces tension in places like our shoulders). Plus: exercise also makes us feel good about ourselves because:
- Enhances self-assurance and builds a positive self-image.
- Empowers one to engage socially with greater ease.
- Improves overall appeal by promoting a healthy lifestyle.
- Supports immune system function through better blood flow to vital organs. That also includes those inside our bodies' cavities, such as the lungs.
How Do You Get Rid Of Shoulder Pain After Hernia Surgery?
Like in many surgeries, pain is mostly controlled with pain medications. Luckily, it is also only transient, lasting for about three days.
If you want more detail: One theory about how a hiatal hernia surgery could cause shoulder pain is explained in a case report done in 2021.
The study discusses a patient who had recently undergone hiatal hernia surgery with the chief complaint of severe shoulder pain, especially after eating.
The authors hypothesized that the pain was coming from a suture they had placed in the diaphragm during the surgery.
And they were right. After removing the sutures, the pain completely resolved.
How could a suture in the diaphragm cause shoulder pain, you might ask?
Well, a simplified explanation would be that some nerves that pass through the diaphragm also pass around the shoulder. If these nerves are somehow affected in the diaphragm area, they can sometimes also cause referred pain up to the shoulder.
We have an in-depth article about referred shoulder pain here, if you want to read more.
Takeaway
- A hiatal hernia probably won't directly cause pain in the left shoulder, but it can cause pain in the chest and upper abdomen, which may feel like it’s spreading to the shoulders.
- If you have symptoms like a persistent cough, heartburn, trouble swallowing, or stomach acid coming back up, you need to see a doctor right away.
- You can avoid getting a hiatal hernia by not straining, lifting heavy things, or eating big meals. You can also work out regularly to strengthen your abdominal muscles.
- If you have shoulder pain after surgery for a hiatal hernia, it may be because nerves pass through the diaphragm and send pain to the shoulder. This can be treated by taking pain medicine.