Medically reviewed by Dr Godmi Tresa
Abdominal pain comes and goes, especially in women. Knowing when to start being concerned about conditions like hernia is hard. Have you heard of hernia? Hernia can be one of those bothersome conditions that give you sudden excruciating pain or just a dull, aching pain in your abdomen.
Read on to learn the exact signs and symptoms of hernia and when you should be concerned about them.
Hernia means 'rupture'. What gets ruptured here? The sac or room that contains parts of your internal organs.
When something bulges out of where it initially must stay, it is called being 'herniated'. You can get a hernia in any part of your body.
However, this blog explicitly addresses abdominal hernia (in and around your tummy ).
In abdominal hernia, the contents of your abdomen - intestines and tissues surrounding them - bulge out of its protective sac, muscles and fascia. And this is exactly how it looks : a round, lumpy bulge anywhere in the abdomen.
Yes! Again, a hernia can come anywhere in the abdomen.
However, you will find it mainly in the inguinal region (part of the abdomen near your groin) or the femoral region in women (part where your leg joint starts from).
To start with, a hernia does not give you any pain or discomfort. But, eventually, they push out more and more, getting strangled at the mouth of the opening. This is when you exactly start getting the excruciating pain. You would not want that, right? That is why you must know what hernia pain feels like before it gets complicated.
Hernia pain is just like any other abdominal pain. It can range from dull pain (which allows you to do all your work) to severe cramping or twisting kind of pain (like when you had a UTI or menstrual cramp).
The variation of intensity differs according to the stage of bulge or associated complications.
Just as mentioned above, there is a chance that you may experience any of the following types of pain or all of them.
Now, where will you feel these pain? All over the abdomen or is there any specific point?
The location of pain depends on the area of hernia ; it can be anywhere from near the groin to umbilicus.
So, as we mentioned before, hernia can come at any site in your body. You must know this so that 'hernia pain' can be one of those things in your mind when you feel pain in different areas of the body.
Some of the most commonly seen abdominal hernias are;
1. Inguinal Hernia: Seen at the inguinal region (groin area), inguinal hernia will be seen commonly in men. But that does not mean that this hernia will not come to women.
2. Femoral Hernia: Just like inguinal hernia, femoral hernia also occurs near the groin region. It comes out through a space in your body called the femoral triangle (a hollow space between a couple of thigh muscles). You will feel pain in the upper thigh below the groin.
3. Hiatal Hernia: Hiatal hernia occurs in the part of your abdomen called the hiatus. What is a hiatus? The hiatus is the hollow in your diaphragm muscles through which your food pipe goes to your stomach. A hiatus hernia occurs when the parts of your stomach bulge through this hole to the chest. Here, you feel pain in the chest region, which feels like acidity.
4. Umbilical Hernia and Paraumbilical Hernia: Umbilical hernia - as it sounds - occurs at the region of the umbilical or navel button. The pain will be exactly at the umbilical button (umbilical hernia) or around the umbilical or navel button (paraumbilical hernia). However, umbilical hernia occurs in newborns or infants and in adults, you will usually see paraumbilical hernia.
5. Incisional Hernia : If you have ever had any previous surgery, this is where you will see an incisional hernia. That is, the part where you have a surgical incision will be the point through which the organs may bulge out. This happens only if the surgical scar doesn't heal efficiently.
Did You Know?
Hernia can be present without causing any pain or discomfort. However, if pain occurs or worsens, it is urgent to consult a surgeon for proper evaluation and management.
Many people live with hernia : some with pain and some without pain. That is why understanding and identifying the difference between just discomfort and severely complicated pain. Severe pain needs immediate attention; that is why you must keep a watch for some signs if you have a hernia.
Watch Out For;
1. Intense or Worsening Pain
2. Changes in the appearance of the hernia
3. Fever
4. Nausea and Vomiting
So, when you have hernia - even a painless one - it is important that you keep an eye for these signs and symptoms. Early detection will always help you heal faster.
Undetected cases of hernia are highly prevalent worldwide due to lack of awareness of symptoms. At least 20 million hernias get repaired globally, every year. In the USA alone, approximately 700,000 hernia repairs get performed annually, while in the UK, the number exceeds 100,000.
These numbers highlight the significant cost and morbidity burden associated with hernia repair.
So early detection helps with;
If you are someone going through menopause, you would not want another symptom like hernia pain to give you distress. Do not fret! Menopause does not directly cause hernias.
However, the hormonal changes during the menopausal stage can lead to several changes in your body that may risk the formation of a hernia. Some of them are;
A study conducted in menopausal women showed an association between hormonal changes and groin hernias. Women who went into menopause at an early age showed an increased risk of developing inguinal hernia compared to those who attained menopause later.
Apart from an association with hormonal changes during menopause, some hernias are usually seen a lot in elderly women. Here's why!
The most common types of hernia seen in the elderly are;
Most hernias require surgical repair but need not be done right away in all cases. If your hernia is small and does not cause any symptoms, your doctor might recommend waiting and watching.
However, this approach might not be possible in certain hernias like femoral hernia, which, if left untreated, almost surely results in complications like bowel obstruction or strangulation.
Hernias tend to worsen with time. The opening continues to stretch and weaken, causing more tissue to come out through it. This is why surgical correction is the recommended line of treatment for hernias.
Hernia can be managed by:
Hernia cannot be treated with medications. In most cases, surgery is required to correct the defect. During a hernia repair surgery (herniorrhaphy), the surgeon:
Surgery for hernia may either be an open surgery, where the incision is wider and takes a longer time to heal, or a laparoscopic (key-hole) surgery which is minimally invasive and heals faster.
Yes, you can prevent hernia or its complications starting today.
1. Start with Lifestyle Modifications
2. Maintain Healthy Weight
3. Practise Good Posture
4. Exercise Mindfully
5. Quit Smoking
6. Dietary Changes
Yoga is a gentle form of exercise : the right kind you need for abdominal strengthening in hernia.
With 60 percent of hernias are diagnosed as inguinal hernias, regular yoga poses can prevent this major hernias.
Practise poses that will not put pressure on your abdomen but strengthen them.
1. Uttanpadasana (Raised Leg Pose)
2. Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal Lock)
3. Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)
4. Naukasana (Boat Pose):
These Therapeutic Yoga Asanas are to be strictly followed according to the advice of a Yoga expert. Get in touch with experts at Nirva.
Understanding the different types of hernias and their pain areas will help you identify what is happening in your body. This will help you seek prompt medical help. This guide will help you be aware of the signs of complications and prevent life-threatening situations like gangrene formation and whole-body infection, potentially leading to emergency surgery. Taking preventive steps is the best thing you can do to stay away from hernia pain and complications.
Hernia pain may not always resolve on its own. While some people experience minimal discomfort, others may require medical intervention to relieve pain or prevent complications.
It depends on the type and severity of the hernia. Low-impact and core-strengthening exercises may get recommended, but high-intensity activities or practices that strain the abdomen should be avoided. Consult a healthcare professional for personalised guidance.
It is not advisable to manually push a hernia back in. Attempting self-reduction can cause complications unless recommended by your doctor. Seek medical attention for proper evaluation and management of a hernia.
Losing weight may alleviate symptoms and reduce the risk of hernia progression. However, weight loss alone may not make the hernia disappear. Consult a healthcare professional for personalised advice on weight management and hernia treatment.
Alarming symptoms that require immediate medical attention include intense or worsening pain, changes in the appearance of the hernia, fever, nausea, vomiting, or signs of bowel obstruction. Promptly consult a healthcare professional if experiencing these symptoms.
Dr. Bhavya
She offers a holistic approach to healing that focuses on the interplay between the body, mind, and spirit. Her expertise in these areas allows her to provide comprehensive care for various conditions, from musculoskeletal disorders to stress-related illnesses. She is dedicated to empowering women to take control of their health and well-being. Her proactive approach to healthcare emphasises the importance of preventive measures and natural remedies.
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