How long does a GP consultation take to work for hiatus hernia?

The GP may ask about heartburn, acid coming into the throat, chest or upper-abdominal discomfort, swallowing, vomiting and weight change. They may review medicines and examine you. Symptoms can overlap with other digestive conditions, so a consultation may lead to a trial of treatment, tests or referral rather than an instant diagnosis.

Lifestyle changes and acid-reducing medicine may help symptoms over time, but they do not necessarily remove the opening in the diaphragm associated with a hiatus hernia. The expected timing depends on the problem being treated, how severe symptoms are and whether further tests are needed.

Write down when symptoms occur, what you had eaten, whether lying down makes them worse and whether swallowing is difficult. Follow the agreed medicine instructions and discuss any remedy you buy yourself. Smaller meals, avoiding food close to bedtime and raising the head of the bed may reduce reflux for some people.

Arrange the follow-up the GP recommends, especially if symptoms continue despite the plan. A record of symptom changes helps decide whether testing or a different approach is needed.

Seek urgent medical help for chest pain with breathlessness, sweating or faintness, vomiting blood, black stools, severe persistent pain or inability to swallow liquids. Arrange prompt assessment for repeated vomiting, unexplained weight loss or food regularly sticking when you swallow.

Do my symptoms suggest reflux, hiatus hernia or another condition? How should I take the recommended treatment, and when should I expect to review it? Would I need testing if swallowing problems or persistent symptoms continue?