Hernia: Causes, Treatment & Prevention
A hernia happens when a body part, mostly an internal organ touches the wall of a tissue or muscle that contains it. Most of the time, Hernia occurs in the abdominal cavity, between the hips and between the chest.
The most common types of Hernia are:
- Femoral Hernia
The fatty tissue of the intestine or the part of it grows towards the groin, present on the top of the inner thigh. It is much less common than the other hernias and mainly affects the older women.
- Inguinal Hernia
The Inguinal canal present in men is a way for the blood vessels and spermatic cord leading to the testicles. In women, The inguinal canal consists of the round ligament supporting the womb. In Inguinal Hernia, the part of the intestine or the fatty tissue intrudes into the groin region, at the top of the inner thigh. It is the most common type of Hernia and affects more men than women.
- Umbilical Hernia
The part of the intestine or fatty tissue pushes along the abdomen near the belly button or navel.
- Hiatal/Hiatus Hernia
The part of the stomach pushes up in the chest cavity via an opening in the diaphragm. A diaphragm is a horizontal sheet of muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen.
- Incisional Hernia
This is a tissue that protrudes through the spot of an abdominal scar from a pelvic operation or abdominal scar.
- Epigastric Hernia
The fatty tissue makes it way through the area of abdominal, located between the lower part of the sternum and navel. As sternum, in common terms is known as breastbone.
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
The organs move towards the abdomen area above the chest through an opening present in the diaphragm.
- SpigelianHernia
The intestine pushes through the abdomen towards the side of the abdomen, just below the navel
Femoral or Inguinal hernia is caused when the muscles are weakened and the presence is prolonged, that is it exists since childhood. It could also be associated with the aging and the recurring strains on the groin and abdominal area. The recurring strain can be caused by coughing, physical exertion from a physical activity, pregnancy, obesity, constipation, etc.
In adults, umbilical Hernia is common and is caused by lifting very heavy weights frequently, straining the abdominal area, prolonged cough or while giving birth.
The cause of the hiatal hernia is not fully known but is believed that it is caused by the weakening of the diaphragm with pressure on the abdomen or age.
Symptoms of Hernia
A hernia in the groin or abdomen produces a noticeable and visible bulge or lump that can be pushed back in or tend to disappear when you lie down. Coughing, crying, laughing and straining during bowel movement or hard-core physical activity may make it re-appear even after being pushed in. The additional symptoms of the hernia includes:
- Increased pain at the location of bulge
- Pain while lifting heavy weight
- Bulge or swelling in the scrotum or groin. An scrotum is the pouch that contains the testicles
- A sign or sense of feeling of full bowel obstruction
- A dull ache sensation
In hiatal hernias, there is no visible bulge at the outside of the body. Instead, the symptoms include heartburn, frequent regurgitation, difficulty swallowing and chest pain.
It is usually diagnosed with the bulge in the area where the hernia is there by a physical examination. In one of the physical exams of testing male of hernia, the Doctor slightly presses the area around the testicles and groin while the patient coughs. With the movement of the internal organ, the Doctor detects the possibility of hernia. In some cases, the soft tissue imaging like a CT scan also accurately diagnoses the condition.
Hernia usually requires the intervention of a Doctor for the treatment. The surgery of the Hernia is the only way to repair it. However, with the advancement there are also therapies to treat hernia these days. In the case of umbilical hernia in a child, a surgery is recommended if the hernia is large and does not heal on its own. In an adult, the umbilical hernia is recommended only when the risk of complications is high and the it is not treated on its own.
Below are the three types of surgeries to be performed for Hernia:
- Open surgery
The cut is made into the body at the location of the hernia. The intruding tissue is set back in place and the weakened muscle wall is stitched back together. Sometimes an external mesh is prepared and sticked to glue the implanted area and provide it additional external support.
- Laparoscopic Surgery
It involves the same type of repairs as of open surgery, except instead of making a cut at the groin or abdomen region, the incision is made for the insertion of surgical tools to complete the process of pushing it back in.
- Robotic Hernia Repair
It is just like laparoscopic surgery, uses a laparoscope and is performed by making small incisions. With the robotic surgery, the surgeon is seated at a console, placed in the operating room and passes the surgical instruments from there.
Robotic surgeries are performed for small hernias or to fix weak area. The robotic surgery is majorly used to reconstruct the abdominal walls, treat small but complicated hernias, etc. Each type of the above mentioned surgery comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The best approach to consult your Doctor and does what is best for the underlying condition.
If you’re looking for the Doctors with experience and history of successful treatment of Hernia, Redheal is the place to refer! Use our Doctor search option or talk to our consultants, we promise to connect you with the best and experienced Doctor and help you support throughout with insurance, suitable location and other concerns.
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