Hernia: the symptoms and treatment

A hernia is when an internal body component, often a part of an organ, starts to extrude through a weakness or fault in the muscle or tissue wall. They are most common in the torso, particularly the abdomen and groin areas. Some hernias can be left alone, but some will need to medical intervention for the comfort and health of the patient. In this article, a consultant laparoscopic general surgeon explains what is a hernia and how it can be treated.

What is a hernia?

There are several kinds of hernia, and the most common types of hernia are:

• Inguinal hernias, where fatty tissue or part of the bowel pokes through the groin. It is most common in men.
• Umbilical hernias, when the fatty tissue or part of the bowel pokes through the stomach, near the belly button. They can occur in babies if the umbilical cord opening from birth is not properly sealed.
• Incisional hernia, where the tissue or organ pokes through a surgical wound that had not entirely healed.

Mostly, hernias occur due to wear and tear, mainly from straining and stretching, which thins and pulls at the muscles.

Symptoms of a hernia

Not all hernias have symptoms, as they vary in size, cause, and location. One of the most common symptoms of a hernia is a slight swelling or a lump, which will indicate where the organ or tissue is protruding, especially at times when the body is straining – such as sneezing, laughing, or lifting things. Sometimes, there is also a sensation of pain, ache, or pressure where the hernia is. If the discomfort is constant or moderate, then the hernia will likely need medical intervention.

Hernias are not necessarily dangerous, but they can progress to be. A hernia is a concern when it cannot retreat to its regular position and becomes stuck. This is likely to be painful and may even cut off blood supply to the organ or tissue, causing necrosis. This is why it is recommended to seek treatment for a hernia before it gets much worse, or if it is impeding on daily life.

Hernia treatment

The only to treat a hernia is with surgery. This minor surgery can either be performed as an open procedure, or as a laparoscopy. In general, the surgery is done under general anaesthetic and can take between 30 minutes to more than five hours, depending on the severity of the hernia.

The surgery involves pushing the hernia back and then sealing up the fault in the muscle or tissue wall. Sometimes, a mesh is added to support and reinforce the seal and prevent reoccurrences.

An open surgery involves one big incision from which the surgeon will be able to access the hernia and put it back into place. While this allows surgeons great visibility of the issue, it can result in a lot of blood loss and a longer recovery time for the patient.

A laparoscopic surgery involves a few small incisions around the area, through which the surgeon will insert fine instruments and a thin camera (the laparoscope) to correct the hernia with minimal invasion of the body. This can be a difficult technique, but overall, less traumatic for the patient’s body, and surgeons who can perform this procedure are highly trained. This technique can also be performed with robotic assistance.

The technique used will depend on the needs and condition of the patient.

If you are experiencing a hernia and would like to explore treatment, consult with a specialist today on Top Doctors.