The Forgotten Muscle: How Your Diaphragm Affects Hiatal Hernias

When most people think about important muscles, they picture their heart, abs, or the muscles that help them walk and exercise. But one of the hardest-working muscles in your body is one you probably never think about—the diaphragm.

The diaphragm is your primary breathing muscle, contracting thousands of times each day without conscious effort. It also separates your chest from your abdomen and works closely with your ribs, spine, esophagus, stomach, and nervous system. Because of its unique position, the diaphragm plays an important role not only in breathing but also in posture and digestion.

One condition directly involving the diaphragm is a hiatal hernia, yet many people don’t realize the connection. At Mayo Chiropractic: A Center for Life, we’ve found that understanding diaphragm function plays a crucial role in improving hiatal hernia symptoms.

What Is a Hiatal Hernia?

Your esophagus passes through a natural opening in the diaphragm, called the esophageal hiatus, before connecting with your stomach. A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach moves upward through this opening.

According to Cleveland Clinic, hiatal hernias are very common, especially as we age. Many people never experience symptoms, while others develop heartburn, acid reflux, regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, or discomfort in the upper abdomen or lower chest.

What Contributes to a Hiatal Hernia?

The diaphragm is designed to move continuously with every breath while helping regulate pressure between the chest and abdomen. Over time, repeated increases in abdominal pressure may place additional stress on the tissues surrounding the esophageal opening.

Factors that may contribute include:

• Chronic coughing
• Frequent straining during bowel movements
• Repeated vomiting
• Heavy lifting
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Obesity
• Previous injury or surgery
• Stress

Everyday habits can also influence how well the diaphragm functions. Shallow breathing, poor posture, chronic stress or routinely holding your breath during lifting may change the way the diaphragm, ribs, and abdomen work together. While these habits don’t necessarily cause a hiatal hernia, they can affect the overall mechanics of this important muscle.

Why Does Diaphragm Function Matter?

The diaphragm doesn’t work alone. It coordinates with the ribs, spine, abdominal muscles, and nervous system to help create efficient breathing and manage pressure throughout the body.

When movement becomes restricted or these structures stop working together efficiently, the body often compensates elsewhere. That’s why we believe it’s important to evaluate the entire system rather than focusing solely on digestive symptoms.

Our Approach

At Mayo Chiropractic: A Center for Life, we believe the body has an incredible capacity to heal and adapt when the nervous system is functioning at its best. Rather than chasing symptoms, our goal is to restore healthy movement and support the body’s natural ability to function the way it was designed. Because the body functions as an interconnected whole, we don’t focus solely on the digestive system when caring for someone with a hiatal hernia. Instead, we evaluate how the diaphragm works in relationship with the spine, ribs, surrounding muscles and fascia, posture, breathing mechanics, and nervous system. Restrictions in any of these areas can influence how efficiently the body functions and may contribute to the body’s ability to adapt and recover.

Our gentle, specific chiropractic approach is designed to restore healthy movement throughout this interconnected system. In addition to precise spinal and rib adjustments, we utilize specialized manual techniques to address tension within the diaphragm and surrounding tissues. For patients with a hiatal hernia, we may also perform a gentle technique intended to encourage the stomach to return to its proper position below the diaphragm. By improving mobility, reducing abnormal tension, and supporting normal mechanics, many of our patients experience improvements in comfort, breathing, digestion, and overall function.

If you’ve been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia or are experiencing symptoms such as reflux, upper abdominal pressure, discomfort beneath the sternum, or difficulty taking a full breath, we’d love the opportunity to help. Our team has extensive experience providing hiatal hernia chiropractic care in San Diego, using gentle, specific techniques designed to support healthy diaphragm function, restore balanced movement, and help your body function at its highest potential.

Schedule your Initial Consultation today!