Benefits of today’s
advanced hernia repair
• Less Invasive
• Faster Recovery
• Fewer Reoccurrences
Benefits of today’s
advanced hernia repair
• Less Invasive
• Faster Recovery
• Fewer Reoccurrences
How do you know if you have a hernia?
Most of us think of a hernia as a visible bulge in the abdomen, but this is not always the case and oftentimes a hernia can go unnoticed or untreated. Some silent signs to looks for include:
- Pain in the pelvic area
- Weakness in your upper leg or groin
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
- Pain under certain conditions
- Constipation
- Heartburn
- Feeling full
While these symptoms could indicate you have a hernia, you won’t know for sure unless you are examined by a doctor. They can often be identified by a quick physical examination but in some cases can only diagnosed by an X-ray, endoscopy or ultrasound. Your first step is a screening by a professional.
Common Hernia Types
• Inguinal hernia – this is the most common type of hernia, occurring when the intestines push through the weakened spot or tear in the abdominal wall near the groin. It is more common in men than women.
• Hiatal hernia – occurring when part of your stomach pushes through the diaphragm into your chest region. This most occurs in people who are over 50 years old due to repetitive pressure on the muscles in your stomach, possibly caused by coughing, vomiting, straining or living heavy objects. Factors that increase your risk of a hiatal hernia includes obesity, aging and smoking.
• Umbilical hernia – occurring when intestines bulge through the abdominal wall near the belly button. This often occurs in babies under 6 months old but usually go away over time. They may also occur in adults who are overweight or women who have been pregnant many times. Because they rarely cause a bulge, hernias in women can be misdiagnosed as fibroids, ovarian cysts, or endometriosis because of the region of the pain.
• Incisional hernia – occurring after you’ve had abdominal surgery, the intestines may push through the incision scar or surrounding, weakened tissue.
Hernias do not go away on their own.
What are your hernia repair options?
It’s important to know that hernias do not go away on their own and can only be repaired by surgery. However, you do have options when it comes to treating your hernia:
- Take a “wait and see” approach. If your hernia does not bother you right now and your doctor doesn’t recommend immediate surgery, you can elect to wait and monitor the situation for any symptoms.
- Have surgery now to repair the hernia, even if you don’t have any symptoms. Hernias tend to get bigger over time as your muscles weaken, and electing to have the surgery now will prevent any serious complications down the road. Some complications include strangulation, a serious instance when a loop of intestine or fatty tissue is trapped inside a hernia and is cut off from its blood supply.
The good news is that there are more options for hernia repair now than ever and with even better outcomes. These techniques are often minimally invasive with fast recovery times and fewer chances of your hernia reoccurring.
Do you think you might have a hernia?
Call to schedule a hernia exam today.