How Do You Know If You Have A Hernia? by Dr. Manjunath Haridas

Introduction

Youknowitisaherniawhenaninternalorganpushesthroughaweakareainyourtissue ormuscle.Therearevarioustypesofherniassuchasfemoralhernias,inguinalhernias, Hiatalhernias,andumbilicalhernias.Mostherniastakeplacewithintheabdominal cavity,betweenthehipsandchest.Inthisblog,we,atMHSurgeryClinic,willsharewith youhowtodetermineifyouhaveahernia,itstypes,causes,andtreatment HowDoYouKnowIfYouHaveAHernia?

Herniasarecommonamongbothmenandwomen,however,theirsymptomsmaydiffer. Forinstance,menaremorepronetoagroinherniaascomparedtowomen.Herniasmay causediscomfortanddonotgoawayontheirown.Butfortunately,almostalltypesof

HowDoYouKnowIfYouHaveAHernia?Types,Causes&Treatment

herniascanbetreatedsurgically.

Itisessentialtounderstandthatbothmen,aswellaswomen,candevelopinguinal hernias.Usually,peoplebelievethatonlymendevelopthem,andduetoanatomical reasons,theyareatahigherrisk.However,womencancertainlydevelopaninguinal hernia. Accordingtoexperts,womenarelikelytogoundiagnosedforthisconditionastheytend tosufferfromdifferentsymptomsasopposedtomen.Theymaynothaveanoticeable bulge.Ifyouaresufferingfromsymptomsthatindicateapossibleherniabutyourdoctor isnotabletoexamineit,thenanMRIcangivedefiniteevidence

SymptomsAmongMen ●Achingpaininthegroinarea ●Abulgethatcanbeseenandfelt ●Afeelingofpressure ●Painthatgetsworsewhenengagedinactivitiesthataddpressuretotheareasuch aspushing,heavylifting,andstraining ●Atuggingsensationofthescrotum SymptomsAmongWomen ●Burningsensation ●Sharporachingpain ●Abulgeatthesiteofahernia,butthismaynotbetherewithaninguinalhernia ●Discomfortincreaseswithstrainingactivities

TypesOfHernias

1.InguinalHernia

Amongmen,theinguinalcanalisapassageforthebloodvesselsandspermatic cordleadingtothetesticles.Amongwomen,however,theinguinalpassage consistsofaroundligamentthatprovidessupportfortheuterusInaninguinal hernia,apartoftheintestineorfattytissuepushesintothegroinatthetopofthe innerthigh.Itisthemostcommonherniatypeandaffectsmenmorethanwomen.

2.UmbilicalHernia

Apartoftheinterestingorfattytissuepokestheabdomennearthenavel.

3.FemoralHernia

Afattytissueorpartoftheintestinepushesintothegroinatthetopoftheinner thighFemoralherniaislesscommonasopposedtoinguinalherniasandusually affectsolderwomen.

4.HiatalHernia

Apartofthestomachprotrudesintothechestcavitythroughanopeninginthe diaphragmwhichisthehorizontalsheetofmusclethatisolatesthechestfromthe abdomen

5.IncisionalHernia

Thefattytissuepushesthroughtheareaofanabdominalscanfromaremote pelvicorabdominaloperation.

cause,aherniamaydevelopquiterapidlyoroveralongperiodoftime.Someprimary

●Aging ●Acongenitalconditionthatmayoccurduringthedevelopmentinthewombandis presentsincebirth ●Damagefromsurgeryorinjury ●Chronicobstructivepulmonarydisorder(COPD)orchroniccoughing ●Heavyweightliftingorstrenuousexercise ●Havingobesityorbeingoverweight ●Pregnancy,particularlyhavingmultiplepregnancies ●Ascites ●Constipationmaycauseyoutostrainwhenhavingabowelmovement Thefollowingaresomeriskfactorsthatmakeyoumorepronetodevelopingahernia: ●Beingolder ●Havingalowbirthweightorbeingbornprematurely ●Pregnancy ●Cysticfibrosis ●Chroniccough ●Chronicconstipation ●Smoking

CausesOfAHernia HerniasarecausedduetoacombinationofmuscleweaknessandstrainBasedonits

causesofmuscleweaknessthatmayleadtoaherniainclude

TreatmentOfHernia

HerniaDiagnosis

●Afamilyhistoryofhernias

Laparoscopicinguinalherniarepairisthemosteffectivewaytotreataninguinalhernia. Whetheryouneedsurgeryornotdependsmajorlyonthesizeofyourherniaandhow severeyoursymptomsare.Yourhealthcareadvisormaywanttomonitoryourcasefor anypossiblecomplications. Ifyouaresufferingfromahiatalhernia,thenoverthecounterprescriptionmedications thatcontrolstomachacidcanrelieveyourdiscomfort.

Duringthis,yourdoctormayfeelabulgeinyourabdominalareathatgetslargerwhen youcough,stand,orstrain.Theywillthendiscussyourmedicalhistoryandaskquestions suchas ●Whendidyounoticethebulgeforthefirsttime? ●Areyouexperiencinganysymptoms? ●Tellmealittleaboutyourlifestyle ●Doyouthinkthereissomethinginparticularthatmayhavecausedittooccur? ●Doesyourprofessioninvolveheavylifting?Doyouworkoutrigorously?Doyou liftweightsprofessionally?Doyousmoke? ●Haveyoueverhadanysurgeriesinyourabdomen? ●Doyouhaveafamilyhistoryofhernias? Yourhealthcareproviderwillalsouseimagingteststohelpthediagnosis,whichmay include:

Inordertodiagnoseyourhernia,yourdoctorwillperformaphysicalexamination

HerniaRepairSurgery

Ifyourherniaisgettinglargerorcausingunbearablepain,thenyoursurgeonmaydecide tooperateit.Laparoscopicherniasurgeryisthebestwaytotreataherniabecause,inthis, yoursurgeonwilluseatinycameraandminisurgicalequipmenttorepairahernia.It onlyneedsafewincisionsandisrelativelylessdamagingtothesurroundingarea

GetintouchwithMHSurgeryClinictodayformoreinformationaboutyourcaseifyou havedevelopedahernia.

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AbdominalUltrasound

AbdominalMRIscan

AbdominalCTscan