Overview
A hernia is a very common medical condition where an organ pushes through an opening in the muscle or tissue. Hernia can occur in different parts of a body. They generally appear in the abdomen, hips or chest area. Sometimes, hernia also appears in the groin area and the upper thigh.
Facts about Hernia:
rnia can happen to both men and women, but men are more prone to hernia. In many cases, babies can also get hernias.
Obesity is a major contributor of hernia. If you are overweight, you have a higher risk of developing a hernia.
Types of Hernia
Hernias can be of various types depending upon the places they occur. Some of the most common hernias are listed below:
- Inguinal hernia -
It is the most common form of hernia and appear when the intestine protrudes through the weak muscles of the abdominal wall. Men are more prone to this form of hernia as compared to women.
- Hiatal Hernia -
In this form of hernia, the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm to the chest cavity. Elderly people, especially those above 50 years are prone to this form of hernia.
- Umbilical Hernia-
This form of hernia is witnessed commonly among babies and children, but can happen to adults too. In this hernia, the intestines of the child bulge out through the abdominal wall near the belly button.
- Ventral Hernia-
This occurs when the tissue bulges through the weak muscles of the abdomen. Ventral hernia is caused primarily due to pregnancy, obesity and constant strenuous activities.
Treatment
The most effective way to treat a hernia is through surgical repair. If the condition of the hernia is severe, surgery is the best treatment. Painful hernias can lead to a lot of discomfort and to prevent any potential risks in the future, it is recommended that the person undergoes a surgery.
Generally, there are two types of operations for hernia. They are:
Open hernia surgery -
In this process, the doctor makes an incision in the groin area and pushes the bulging tissue into the abdomen. The surgeon stitches the weak area, mostly with a synthetic mesh. After this is done, the surgeon closes the opening using a surgical clue or stitches it. This is the conventional process of surgery and the patient might require 3-5 weeks to completely recover.
Laparoscopic surgery -
This form of surgery is far more advanced than the conventional one and also minimally invasive. The doctor makes very small cuts in the abdomen. In this process, the doctor inserts a tiny camera called a laparoscope through the minute incision. Using the camera, the doctor diagnoses the hernia better and repairs it using synthetic mesh. This process is not painful and requires a much shorter time for the person to recover.
Risks and complications:
A hernia, if left untreated, can lead to several complications like:
- Incarcerated hernia -
If the hernia gets trapped in the weak abdominal wall, it can obstruct the bowel movement leading to severe pain and vomiting.
- Strangulation
- The hernia, if continuously keeps growing, can strangulate the intestine. This is very risky and can often be life threatening.
- Pressure on nearby tissues -
If not surgically repaired, a hernia can grow or enlarge and extend to the scrotum, causing discomfort and pain.
.svg?alt=media&token=e60e5a94-7863-40f3-9b29-f0f5b7bb7aae)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg?alt=media&token=94d56f8d-7ff5-4a43-8abe-4a028fa47b4e)
