Types of Hernia

What is Hernia?

A hernia is when an organ moves through an entrance into the tissue or muscle where it is situated. Most of the time, hernias occur in the stomach, which is between your chest and hips.

Hernias are not always life-threatening immediately. That does not mean it should not be taken seriously. To prevent dangerous complications, surgery is sometimes necessary.

What Are the Different Types of Hernia?

The different types of hernia are:

• Hernias Inguinal
• Femoral Hernia
• Ventral Hernia

Let us now look at the different types of hernias, their causes, symptoms, and treatments.

Hernias Inguinal

An inguinal hernia, or groin hernia, is a hernia that occurs in your groin, specifically in the part of your body known as the inguinal canal. The pelvic bone will have a bulge on one side. The main cause of inguinal hernia is the abdominal tissue moving through an entrance in the lower part of the stomach wall. This entryway could occur due to old age or maybe present at birth and is a congenital disability.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms to look out for are:

• Heaviness in your groin.
• A burning sensation is felt all over the pelvis or down the leg.
• Any pain in the groin area, specifically when performing activities involving lifting, bending over, or coughing.
• Seeing a bulge on either side of the groin area on your pubic bone.

Treatment

Treating hernia inguinal is mostly done by performing surgeries. Doctors suggest surgeries at the earliest as inguinal hernias, when left untreated, can cause further dangerous complications, especially among women and children.

Among adults, small hernias that usually don't cause any symptoms can take a rather slow approach that will eventually end in treatment.

If the patient suffers from other health conditions affecting the surgery, the risks and benefits must be calculated before the surgery. During such instances, the patient will be recommended to wear a belt to control the hernia and stop it from developing.

Femoral Hernia

A femoral hernia is a bulge near the thigh or the groin area. It occurs when the tissues inside your abdomen push through an opening in the muscle when you strain yourself.

Femoral hernias don't generate any symptoms but lead to extreme health issues. A surgical procedure will be mandatory if it blocks the blood flow in your intestines.

Symptoms

Femoral hernia is difficult to detect, unlike other types of hernia. Small hernias are hard to detect as it is challenging to recognize the bulge. When the bulge is large, in the case of large hernias, it is easier to detect as the discomfort is more noticeable. There is a high chance that the bulge can get worse over time and cause immense discomfort and pain when doing certain activities.

As femoral hernias are located on the hip bone, it can result in tremendous hip pains.

Other severe symptoms include:

• Vomiting
• Discomfort in the groin area
• Nausea
• Enormous pain in the stomach

Treatment

The treatment for femoral hernia depends on factors such as:

• Cost
• Size of the hernia and how complicated it is
• The expertise of the surgeon
• Recovery time

A femoral hernia is usually small and does not require distinctive treatment. The treatment is decided after careful observation and monitoring of the symptoms. A surgical procedure is advised when it is larger and is an obstacle for the patient to perform daily activities.

Laparoscopic surgery is a standard surgical procedure to treat hernia. It is a surgery that involves a minimal loss of blood and a few small incisions. It is less painful, and the recovery period is shorter than an open surgery.

Ventral Hernia

This type of hernia appears like a pouch formed from the lining inside the stomach. This pouch pushes itself through the hole inside the wall of your stomach. It usually appears on the locations of old surgical sites.

Symptoms

Most patients do not complain about discomfort or pain during the early stages of ventral hernia. The first noticeable symptom is the bulge. It can be seen in the stomach and is soft to the touch. It flattens when the person is lying down.

It causes immense pain when the person is performing activities that involve the following:

• Longer periods of sitting and standing
• A feeling of discomfort during bowel movement and urination
• Lifting heavy objects

The pain can be severe when part of the bugle in the opening gets trapped there. When this occurs, the intestine becomes constricted, causing blood loss.

Treatment

Surgery is the only way to treat a ventral hernia. When left untreated, ventral hernias can get worse over time and larger. This can lead to dangerous complications in the intestine.

Surgical procedures to treat ventral hernia involve repairing the opening or hole in the wall of the abdomen so the abdominal tissue can never push itself through the wall again. The procedure not only repairs the spot but also helps on restoring the muscles to their normal place.

There are three types of surgeries to repair a ventral hernia. They are:

• Robotic Surgery
• Laparoscopic Surgery
• Open Surgery

The type of surgery will be conditional on aspects such as the size of the hernia, the patient's age, and medical history.

When to Talk to a Hernia Specialist?

When the patient is experiencing severe discomfort and pain, it is essential to see a doctor. If the bulge in the abdomen or groin area is increasing, it is recommended to consult a doctor or a hernia specialist.

Conclusion

Hernia is treatable and comes in various forms. There are different types of hernias, and symptoms and causes differ. The treatment option for hernia depends on the size and severity. You should consult a doctor in case of severe discomfort or pain when performing activities.