Cause 9: Smoking
Smoking, beyond its well-known hazards to lungs and cardiovascular health, has indirect implications for hiatal hernias. The chemicals in cigarettes can weaken the tissue lining of the diaphragm and the esophagus. With this weakening, the resilience of these areas diminishes, making them more susceptible to disruptions and herniations.
One of the primary chemicals in tobacco, nicotine, plays a crucial role in this context. Nicotine can reduce the strength of the esophageal sphincter. A weaker sphincter doesn’t close as it should, allowing stomach acids to back up into the esophagus. Over time, this can irritate and damage the esophagus, further facilitating the onset of a hernia.
Cigarette smoking affects the entire digestive system. It makes the stomach produce more acid, which can lead to ulcers and hinder the repair of damaged esophageal linings. With an acidic environment and weakened defenses, the diaphragm’s hiatus region becomes a hotspot for potential herniation.
It’s not just cigarettes. Other forms of tobacco, such as cigars and chewing tobacco, can have similar adverse effects. The common factor? Nicotine. Any medium that introduces nicotine into the body can weaken the esophageal defenses, leading to complications like hiatal hernias. (9)
