When an organ pushes through an opening in the muscle or tissue that holds it in place, it causes a hernia. The intestines, for example, may break through a weakened area in the abdominal wall.
Hernias most commonly occur in the abdomen between your chest and hips, but they can also occur in the upper thigh and groin.
Most hernias are not immediately fatal, but they do not heal on their own. Sometimes surgery is required to avoid dangerous complications.
Symptoms
A bulge or lump in the affected area is the most common symptom of a hernia. In the case of an inguinal hernia, for example, you might notice a lump on either side of your pubic bone where your groin and thigh meet.
When you lie down, you may notice that the lump “disappears.” When you’re standing up, bending down, or coughing, you’re more likely to feel your hernia through touch. There may also be discomfort or pain in the area around the lump.
Some hernias, such as hiatal hernias, can present with more specific symptoms. Heartburn, difficulty swallowing, and chest pain are some of the symptoms.
Hernias do not always cause symptoms. You may not realize you have a hernia until it is discovered during a medical exam for an unrelated problem or a routine physical.
Causes
Hernias develop as a result of muscle weakness and strain. A hernia can develop quickly or slowly, depending on what caused it. The following are some common causes of muscle weakness or strain that can lead to a hernia:
- a congenital condition that develops in the womb and is present from birth
- ageing
- damage caused by an injury or surgery
- strenuous exercise or heavy weight lifting
- Coughing disorder or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- pregnancy, particularly multiple pregnancies
- Constipation, which causes straining during bowel movements
- Ascites
- being overweight or obese
Risk Factors of hernia
There are also risk factors that increase your chances of developing a hernia. They are as follows:
- birthing prematurely or with a low birth weight
- having an older chronic cough (likely due to the repetitive increase in abdominal pressure)
- Pregnancy with cystic fibrosis
- Constipation that persists
- being obese or being overweight
- smoking, which causes connective tissue to deteriorate
- an individual or family history of hernias
Laparoscopic treatment
Surgical repair is the only effective way to treat a hernia. The size of your hernia and the severity of your symptoms will determine the requirement of surgery.
General anesthesia is used for laparoscopic hernia repair, which necessitates the use of a breathing tube.
In the lower abdomen, three half-inch or smaller incisions are made. A camera called a laparoscope is inserted into the abdomen during laparoscopic hernia repair to visualize the hernia defect on a monitor. The image on the monitor directs the surgeon’s movements. The hernia sac is removed from the abdominal wall defect, and a prosthetic mesh is used to cover the hernia defect.
Possible complications of Hernia
Untreated hernias can sometimes lead to serious complications.
Your hernia may enlarge and cause additional symptoms. It may also put too much pressure on nearby tissues, causing swelling and pain in the area.
Your intestine may also become trapped in the abdominal wall. This is known as incarceration. Incarceration can cause bowel obstruction, resulting in severe pain, nausea, and constipation.
Strangulation occurs when the trapped section of your intestines does not receive enough blood flow. This can cause infection or death of intestinal tissue. A strangulated hernia is potentially fatal and necessitates immediate medical attention.
Consult a doctor
For the immediate treatment of hernia you should look for the finest doctors in your region. You can contact the best laparoscopic surgeon in Lahore and an expert laparoscopic surgeon in Karachi at one place called, Oladoc.
