All you need to know about hernias
Written by:
Colorectal surgeon
Published: 23/02/2023
Edited by: Aoife Maguire
What is a hernia?
A hernia is something that arises when there is a weakness in the muscle. This weakenss is usually within the stomach muscle and you feel something protruding out. It may be seen as a lump and some discomfort may occur because of it.
A hernia commonly arises in the groin or around the belly button, however, other areas can be affected as well.
There are about 10 different types of hernias, which occur just around the abdomen. These types of hernias are the ones that doctors see most frequently from patients.
Which are the most common kinds of hernias?
The most common types of hernias are inguinal hernias and umbilical hernias, which appear around the belly button.
There are also different groin hernias called femoral hernias. Femoral hernias tend to be a little more common in women. Another type of hernia is an epigastric hernia, which develops above the bellybutton.
Additionally, there is another type of hernia called an incisinal hernia. Incisinal hernias arise when a patient has had a previous operation. The surgery may have been key-hole, so an incision could have developed through the port where the instrument was placed.
A hernia may also appear if the patient has had a cut in the stomach.
What are the symptoms of a hernia?
The most common hernia symptom is a lump. The lump may grow over time so the patient may not notice it initally.
Some people do not feel a lump but may get a pain in the area where the hernia arises. Depending on where the hernia is, it may develop elsewhere as well.
For example, in the groin, the pain may go down to the leg, or down to the testicle. In the tummy, higher up, pain tends to be in the where you get the hernia, the area of discomfort.
What causes a hernia?
Hernias in the adult population are because of wear and tear. Much like we get wear and tear in our bone joints and have hip replacments, we have wear and tear in our abdominal wall and some parts of it tend to give way.
Groin hernias tend to be more common in men purely because the anatomy there is slighlty different. The testicle comes from the back of the abdomen into the scrotum and leaves a track or an area of weakness where a hernia may arise.
As we put on weight, we strech our abdominal wall, which provokes belly button hernias, as we strech and thin the muscle wall.
How are hernias treated?
Herinas do not repair themsleves and are are most commonly treated by surgery.
Groin hernias, for example, can be operated on under general local anesthetic. It can be a keyhole operation or an open operation.
They can be fixed with or without a mesh. Commonly, if it’s one side, it can be performed as a local operation under local anesthetic and some sedation.
Patients can be in and out of hospital the same day. Usually a little mesh is left there to support the weakness and the wounds are closed with absorbable stiches, so nothing needs to be taken away afterwards.
Most people can drive after two weeks, if not earlier and return to normal activites within four to six weeks.