If you are experiencing heartburn, belching, difficulty swallowing, or chest pain that you think might be caused by a hiatal hernia, ask your doctor to run some tests. To confirm that these symptoms are from a hiatal hernia and not just acid reflux (GERD), your doctor will need to see your stomach. He or she may perform an esophagram, which is a procedure where you drink a chalky liquid containing barium that coats your upper digestive tract. You will then be given an X-ray, which will, because of the barium, provide a clear outline of your esophagus and stomach. If a hiatal hernia is present, bulging may be seen around the esophagus stomach junction. Your doctor may also order an endoscopy. During this exam, a thin flexible tube with a light and video camera, called an endoscope, is slid down your throat and into your esophagus and stomach. This tool checks for obvious structural changes or visible signs of tissue inflammation that may provide evidence of an existing hiatal hernia. To test for complications that arise from a hiatal hernia, your doctor may run a blood test. Acid reflux and symptomatic hiatal hernias can lead to bleeding if the tissue is inflamed or irritated as well as lead to blood vessel rupture. Too much bleeding can lead to anemia and low red blood cells. Your doctor may take a small amount of your blood and send it out to a lab to detect if you have low red blood cells.
Ask your doctor about an esophagram. Have an endoscopy. Take a blood test.