THE FOLLOWING ARE SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS COMMONLY TREATED BY THE WASHINGTON ACUPUNCTURE CENTER. HIATUS HERNIA Hiatus hernia is the upward movement of part of the stomach through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm. It is a very common condition in people past thirty and may produce pain, discomfort and shortness of breath like that of a heart attack. Surgery to reduce the size of the opening may be somewhat effective in some cases but is dangerous. If the size of the opening is reduced too much, food will have difficulty passing from the esophagus into the stomach and cause "heartburn" and other digestive problems. If the opening is not reduced enough, the hiatus hernia will recur. For this reason, most physicians recommend conservative therapy with weight reduction, exercise, avoidance of horizontal posture after eating and certain drugs, including tranquilizers, antacids and antisposmodics. These drugs are not very effective, however, and may produce serious side effects. Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for hiatus hernia. It can be used for weight control and reduction of nervous tension at the same time. Diet and nutritional therapy can be helpful. next