“How long can you wait to have surgery for a hernia?”

If there is pain, schedule surgery ASAP.

If you have symptoms related to your hiatal hernia, I would recommend repair. Typical symptoms include nausea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), reflux, and bloating. Atypical symptoms can include a cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. There is rarely a need to operate urgently; however, the hernia will typically get larger and more problematic over time. The hardest ones to fix are usually the ones where a patient has waited 10+ years after getting diagnosed prior to having a repair.