Hernias: Why They Happen and How to Treat Them
A hernia is something that happens when any tissue or part of an organ pushes through another barrier in your body that’s meant to keep things in their place. For example, the diaphragm has a small opening in it where the esophagus connects to the stomach. When this opening weakens and widens, a hiatal hernia can happen.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at the answers to a few common questions we hear here at Suncoast Surgical Associates: what is the main cause of a hernia, what is the best way to treat a hernia, and can my hernia heal on its own?
Types of Hernias
Aside from hiatal hernias, there are other types of hernias, too. For example, hernias around the groin and belly button are very common. All of these types of hernias should be closely monitored or repaired as soon as they are noticed. Let’s go ahead and list the different types of hernia:
- Epigastric hernia (above the belly button but under the sternum)
- Umbilical hernia (inside the belly button)
- Ventral/incisional hernia (on the belly or from an old incision)
- Direct inguinal hernia (in the groin area)
- Indirect inguinal hernia (in the groin, protrudes into the scrotum)
- Femoral hernia (upper groin to upper thigh area)
Common Questions About Hernias:
What Are the Symptoms of Hernias?
For people with minor, very small hernias, there will likely be no symptoms. However, as hernias grow larger and more tissue passes through the opening, symptoms rapidly become very serious. Extreme pain, trouble doing activities that cause the hernia to move, and sometimes even fever, nausea, and vomiting can all be symptoms of a serious hernia. Keep in mind that pain that is bad enough to induce vomiting should always be taken seriously – get to the ER right away.
What Is the Main Cause of a Hernia?
Some hernias are related to congenital defects, but for adults, the cause is usually a gradual weakening and stretching of internal musculature and fascia over time. However, there are some situations where hernias can develop and have nothing to do with long-term stretching: pregnancy, having an incision not heal properly, chronic cough, and weight lifting.
What Is the Best Way to Treat a Hernia?
If you’re looking for your hernia treatment options, you really only have a couple of options: surgery and waiting. There’s no way to externally fix a hernia since they’re caused by internal separation. Plus, in some cases, waiting to see if a hernia resolves itself can be dangerous.
In most cases, hernias will need to be surgically repaired at the spot where the musculature has separated. This will involve opening up the skin above the hernia, placing the herniated organs and tissue back where they belong, and usually adding some kind of medical mesh underneath the hernia and using sutures to bring the tissue back together.
Hernias can be painful to repair, and following your surgeon’s instructions during recovery are paramount to healing your hernia properly.
Can My Hernia Heal On Its Own?
There’s a small chance that small hernias will resolve on their own. However, keep in mind that – in order to make this happen – you’ll need to completely eliminate the source of the pressure and separation. Whatever caused the hernia to appear needs to be addressed and avoided. Even so, sometimes once separation has begun, there’s no chance to undo it – it all depends on where the hernia is.
This is one of the main reasons we encourage potential patients to not mess with a hernia. While unlikely as the hernia is new, failing to treat this condition can lead to ischemia (death) of the herniated tissue.
Suncoast Surgical Associates’ Hernia Team
Here at Suncoast Surgical Associates, we have an outstanding team of physicians and surgeons who can help you identify whether or not you have a hernia. If you do have a hernia, we can help you develop a plan of action. Get in touch with our team today or ask for a referral from your primary care physician.