Hernia Pain: Understanding Complications and Seeking Relief

How Does Hernia Look Like?

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 ). 

More About Abdominal Hernia

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.

Understanding Hernia Pain

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.

Symptoms of Hernia Pain

Just as mentioned above, there is a chance that you may experience any of the following types of pain or all of them.

• Mild discomfort and constant dull ache: When you have an uncomplicated hernia, you experience dull pain. This pain may be intermittent or stays all the time.
• Pressure or Heaviness : Sometimes the pain does not prick or ache, but just feels like an uncomfortable heaviness in the lower abdomen (near the groin).This feeling worsens with physical activity or standing for prolonged periods.
• Burning or Sharp Pain: Sometimes, you may feel a burning or sharp shooting pain. This happens in a complicated stage of hernia. The internal organ (mostly the intestine) that has been trapped inside the bulged sac may be getting pinched in between the tight abdominal wall muscles; that is when you get burning or sharp pain. This calls for immediate consultation in emergency care.

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.

Types of Hernia and Region of Pain

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.

How to Identify the Distressing Symptoms?

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

• If you feel that your hernia pain has started becoming unbearable, sharp, and severe, then it's time to get immediate medical attention. 

2. Changes in the appearance of the hernia

• Yes, the hernia lump will start changing its colour from the shade of skin to red or blue. It will also become tender. This is a complication that indicates that the blood supply to that part of the organ (herniated part) is cut off of its blood supply. So, next, the tissue will die off and get infected. So, seeing any colour change is a warning sign!

3. Fever

• Fever is always a sign of your body fighting an infection. When you have hernia pain with fever, then it is surely an infection of the herniated part. 

4. Nausea and Vomiting

• If you feel nauseous and experience episodes of vomiting, along with the absence of bowel movements, then it's a sure-shot warning sign of complication. This sign means that your intestine is obstructed by the part of the abdomen strangulating it.

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.

Why is Early Detection of Symptoms Important?

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;

• Preventing complications.
• Timely diagnosis and treatment.
• Improved recovery and quality of life.

Does Menopause Cause Hernia?

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;

• Weakened abdominal muscles
• Increased weight, especially around the belly
• Chronic constipation (leads to straining)

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!

• Repeated pregnancy and childbirth
• Obesity
• Chronic coughing
• Straining during bowel movements

The most common types of hernia seen in the elderly are;

• Inguinal hernia
• Femoral hernia

Hernia Care and Treatment Strategies

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:
 

• Lifestyle changes like avoiding lifting weights, treating conditions that increase abdominal pressure like chronic cough and constipation, and managing obesity.
   
• Using devices that offer support and compress the hernia, such as a hernia belt, may provide temporary relief.

Hernia cannot be treated with medications. In most cases, surgery is required to correct the defect. During a hernia repair surgery (herniorrhaphy), the surgeon:

• Makes an incision and pushes the bulging tissue back into place.
• Repairs the hole in the weak connective tissues and muscles using sutures and sometimes a mesh material for support.
• Closes the incision and dresses it.

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.

Tips to Prevent Hernia and its Complications

Yes, you can prevent hernia or its complications starting today. 

1. Start with Lifestyle Modifications

• Avoid lifting heavy weight as it will strain your abdominal muscles ; especially when the muscles are weak and have lost their elasticity.

2. Maintain Healthy Weight

• Keeping your weight scale minimum will keep your abdomen happy. Practise regular exercises that will help in both weight reduction and core muscle strengthening.

3. Practise Good Posture

• Maintain proper posture while sitting, standing, and lifting. Appropriate alignment will help distribute strain on your muscles equally and not just on the abdomen.

4. Exercise Mindfully

• Even though exercise is an essential part of hernia prevention, you must not strain more. Do not go for high intensity exercises like weight lifting. Low intensity aerobics, yoga and pilates will work well.

5. Quit Smoking

• What does smoking have to do with hernia? Well, there are two points to know about. One, smoking may give you a chronic cough, which puts strain on your abdomen. Two, smoking will disrupt your blood circulation to your intestines.

6. Dietary Changes

• Eat a high-fibre diet to avoid constipation, which can lead to straining during bowel movements and potentially worsen hernia symptoms. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and adequate water intake in your daily diet.

What Yoga Poses Will Help in Hernia?

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)

• Lie down and raise one leg at a time.
• Focus on strengthening the abdominal muscles.
• Perform 5-6 raises for each leg.
• Avoid applying more strain on the abdomen.

2. Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal Lock)

• Bend forward, and hold your breath.
• Exhale forcefully while focusing on hollowing your stomach.
• Feel the abdominal lift.
• Hold the pose for 10-15 seconds.

3. Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)

• Sit on the floor with folded legs under the hips.
• Keep the spine straight.
• Hold the pose for 15-30 seconds. 
• Repeat 5-6 times.

1. Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)

• Lie down and raise both legs towards the head.
• Form a straight line with the legs, chest, and abdomen. 
• Support your back with your palms. 
• Hold the pose for 15-20 seconds.

4. Naukasana (Boat Pose): 

• Lie down, lift your chest and feet off the ground.
• Stretching your arms towards your feet. 
• Hold the position for 5-10 seconds. 
• Repeat 3-4 times.

These Therapeutic Yoga Asanas are to be strictly followed according to the advice of a Yoga expert. Get in touch with experts at Nirva.

Wrapping Up

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.