It can cause serious health issues among men and women and it’s considered to be a surgical emergency. This article presents some facts related to it.
For the layman, hernia can be explained as the protrusion of any internal organ. In other words, it is nothing but the bulging out of the body cavity from the place where it’s contained. The common occurrence of hernia is observed, when the contents, that are the portions of intestinal and abdominal fatty tissue, bulge out of its place.
In general, when we discuss hernia it is presumed that the focus is on abdominal hernias as these are the most common areas where it occurs. The term ‘incarcerated hernia’ is generally used for special types of hernia. Hernia is usually of various types like hiatal hernia, umbilical hernia and incision. However its two defining specialties are as follows:
- Only that hernia is called incarcerated, which is irreducible
- And which is obstructed
It can be called a severe form of hernia and it can result in strangulation, inflammation/gangrene and ultimately, death in some cases (if not treated surgically on time). Hence, it is absolutely essential to treat it.
Causes
Our body consists of various muscles that keep the stomach, intestines and colon intact, at their places, however if any of the organs starts to slip from its location due to muscle weakness or cavity, then it leads to hernia. In some cases, when the intestine herniates down and descends into the scrotum, the patient suffers tremendous pain resulting in severe problems. In case, the herniated intestine gets stuck, it requires timely surgery. In women, femoral hernias occur, however, its cases are less common in women than men. Some other risk factors, that can be contributors to its causes are as follows:
- Family History
- Premature Birth
- Chronic Cough
- Constipation
- Lifting Heavy Weights
- Overweight
- Vomiting
- Pregnancy
Symptoms
It is painful and the possible abdominal hernia symptoms are as follows
- A significant bulging in the groin and abdomen area
- Pain when lifting anything, especially something heavy
- Frequent, dull and aching sensation
- Fake feeling of fullness and discomfort due to the protruded organ
Treatment
As mentioned earlier, this form of hernia requires surgical treatment and so the first thing to do is to visit a medical expert who will diagnose the exact problem. With the help of an abdominal X-ray and physical examination, the doctor will ensure that you’ve hernia and then recommend a surgical procedure for the same.
The common surgery is, the open repair surgery that is carried out by making a small incision in the skin. During the surgery, you’ll be given anesthesia so that you don’t feel any pain. The surgeon, after making an incision into the skin will identify the bulging organ, (for example intestine) by properly placing it in the position, he will push it back into the hernia sac behind the muscle wall. Then the muscle wall is stitched to complete the procedure. The surgery done in this process is a simple one and the patients can expect to return home within four to five hours of the surgery. In cases of bleeding or any urgency, a day’s extension is given to the patient. The patients recover fairly quickly and resume their normal lifestyle after some days. Meanwhile, the patients are advised not to do any tough exercises for a period of about 5 to 6 weeks.
Since it requires surgical treatment, it is advised that the patients consult an expert so that the surgical procedure can be performed in time and any health concerns can be checked before it causes any harm to the body.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.
