It had been a few weeks since I first started to notice something was wrong. At first I thought it was just stress related indigestion, but soon I began to realise that the discomfort in my chest wasn’t going away. I assumed it was just one of those mysteries of life and tried to push it aside.
Then one day, the pain became unbearable. My chest felt like it was being ripped apart as I swallowed. It was a feeling like no other and it made its presence known. I couldn’t even enjoy my meals anymore, as the feeling would worsen after I ate.
I eventually decided to take a trip to the doctor to get it checked out. Before long, I had been diagnosed with a hiatus hernia. My doctor explained that the hernia had caused my stomach to push up into the chest. I felt relieved to finally have a diagnosis, but I was still uncertain as to how this could have happened.
The next step was to start treatment. My doctor prescribed medication to reduce the inflammation and prevent further damage. He also advised that I make dietary changes to reduce the strain on my stomach. I switched to eating smaller meals throughout the day and avoiding foods that were likely to aggravate my condition.
Along with my medication and diet modifications, my doctor suggested I start doing specific exercises to strengthen my core muscles. I got a referral to a physical therapist who taught me several exercises to help improve my flexibility and posture. Doing these exercises regularly made me feel stronger and more confident that I could manage my symptoms.
Finally, I made an appointment with a surgeon. My hernia was quite severe and required surgery to repair the damage. The surgery itself was relatively straightforward and thankfully, I made a good recovery.
The road to recovery was not easy and I had moments of doubt. But in the end, I was able to work through my symptoms and manage them with the help of medication, diet, and exercise. Now, I have more peace of mind knowing that my health is under control.