A hernia is a medical condition in which an organ inside the body protrudes through the wall of muscle or tissue that normally contains it
What is Hernia: Types, Causes, andTreatment
What is Hernia Disease?
A hernia is a medical condition in which an organ inside the body protrudes through the wall of muscle or tissue that normally contains it. Most hernias are not immediately life-threatening, but they also don’t go away on their own.
Sometimes they can require surgery or operation to prevent dangerous complications.
Types of Hernia
There are many types of it, but the most common types of hernia are:
1. Inguinal Hernia (inner groin)
A condition in which soft tissue bulges or protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal
muscles.The resulting bulge may be painful.
· Indirect inguinal hernia
An indirect hernia allows the pathway that the testicles created throughout fetal development, descending from the abdomen into the scrotum.
· Direct inguinal hernia
The direct inguinal hernia happens in a distinct area where the abdominal wall is slightly diluent.
2. Incisional Hernia (resulting from an incision)
The incisional type of Hernia occurs at the site of a previous abdominal surgery where the
intestine pushes out against the abdominal wall. It is said to be common in elderly or
over weight people who are inactive, especially after their abdominal surgery.
3. Femoral Hernia (outer groin)
A femoral hernia creates a bulge just below the groin. This is more common in women. An
inguinal hernia is more common in men. It is a bulge in the groin that may reach the scrotum.
4. Umbilical Hernia (bellybutton)
A bulge in this region is produced by an umbilical or periumbilical hernia.
Fatty tissue or part of the intestine pushes through the abdomen near the navel.
5. Hiatal Hernia (upper stomach )
A Hiatal or hiatus hernia is caused when the stomach pushes up into the chest cavity
through an opening in the diaphragm.
What causes Hernia?
Basically, all hernias are caused by a combination of pressure and an opening or weakness
of muscle or fascia. The pressure pushes an organ or tissue through the weak or opening
spot. Sometimes the muscle weakness is present at birth; more often, it occurs later in life.
Some common causes of muscle weakness or strain that can lead to a hernia include:
- ageing
- damage from an injury or surgery
- persistent cough
- arduous exercise or lifting heavyweights
- pregnancy, especially having multiple pregnancies
- constipation, which causes you to strain when having a bowel movement
- being overweight or obesity
- fluid in the abdomen
- personal or family history of hernias
Symptoms of Hernia
· Swelling or bulge in thegroin or scrotum
· Increased pain at thesite of the bulge
· Pain while lifting
· Increase in the bulgesize over time
· A dull aching sensation
· A sense of feeling fullor signs of bowel obstruction.
Diagnosis
It can be diagnosed by:
· CT Scans
· MRI Scans
· Ultrasound
Surgery is recommended for some types of hernias to prevent complications.
Treatment
For a hernia without symptoms, the usual course of action is to watch and wait, but this can be risky for certain types of hernia, such as femoral hernias.
Although surgical options depend on individual circumstances, including the location of the hernia, there are two main types of surgical intervention for hernia:
Open surgery:
It closes the hernia using mesh, or both, and the surgical wound in the skin is closed with
staples or surgical glue.
Open repair of a Hernia operation is typically performed when someone has a single Hernia
and has never had one before.
Laparoscopic operation :
It is used for repeat operations to avoid previous scars and is less likely to cause
complications such as infection.
How serious is a hernia?
If the contents of the hernia become trapped in the weak point in the abdominal wall, it can
lead to severe pain, nausea, obstruct the bowel and the inability to have a bowel movement
or pass gas.
Hernia Prevention
Here are general hernia prevention tips:
● Stop smoking.
● See your doctor when you’re sick to avoid developing a persistent cough.
● Maintain healthy body weight.
● Eat enough high-fiber foods to prevent constipation.
● Perform exercises that help to strengthen the muscles of your abdomen.
● Avoid lifting weights that are too heavy for you. If you must lift something heavy, bend
at your knees and not your waist or back. Be careful while doing so.
Epidemiology
About 27% of males and 3% of females develop a groin hernia at some time in their lives.
"Medicines cure diseases, but only doctors can cure patients." - Carl Jun
If suffering from Hernia or want to know more about it contact Dr.Puneet Agrawal for consultation.
For the treatment, Dr. Puneet Agrawal’s clinic is the best place in Agra as he's a renowned Laparoscopic and Piles Surgeon for more than 20 years. He had extensive training in the field of Laparoscopic Hernia Repairs.
For more information on how we can assist you better, reach out to us by making an appointment call: 0562 2301402
You can also reach out to us at Dr. Puneet Agrawal’s clinic.