What is a hernia?
A hernia occurs when an internal part of your body protrudes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall. It can occur in various locations of the abdominal wall, but mostly occurs in the groin and at the umbilicus area. It develops as you get older and if you increase the pressure on the walls of your abdominal muscles through activities such as straining to go to the bathroom, coughing over a long period of time, or lifting heavy weights.
What are the common types of hernias you might need treatment for?
Inguinal hernia: Inguinal hernias are the most common type of hernia, accounting for 75% of all hernias. They mostly affect men more than females. They happen when your bowel protrudes into your inguinal canal, a passageway that runs down your inner thigh.
Umbilical hernia: An umbilical hernia occurs when part of your intestine protrudes through an opening in your abdominal wall near your belly button. Most umbilical hernias are congenital (present from birth) however those which develop in adults are due to increased abdominal pressure from certain conditions such as obesity, multiple pregnancies and ascites.
Incisional hernia: An incisional hernia occurs when tissues protrude through a former incision/scar tissue in your abdominal wall that weakened over time. It is a known side effect of abdominal surgery.
Ventral hernia: A ventral hernia is any hernia that occurs through the front wall of your abdomen. It includes umbilical hernias and incisional hernias. An "epigastric hernia" is also a ventral hernia that occurs in the region above the belly button.
What are hernia symptoms?
A hernia usually presents as a visible lump or bulge that appears during certain activities such as standing for long durations, coughing or straining to lift objects. It may go back spontaneously in certain physical positions such as lying down and may sometimes require you to manually reduce it. You may also feel pressure, a dull ache or pinching when the hernia protrudes out.
What are the possible complications of a hernia?
In most cases, complications occur when the hernia gets stuck and cannot be reduced back into your body (incarceration). An incarcerated hernia can become increasingly painful and serious. If it is your intestines that get stuck, your bowel may become obstructed that makes you unable to pass food or gas. If the obstruction is not resolved in a timely manner, the intestines will not have adequate blood supply (strangulation) and this leads to tissue death (necrosis or gangrene). When that occurs, you will require an emergency surgery to resolve these issues.
