Written by Nicole,
Edited by Atiqah
What is Hernia?
Hernia occurs when an organ pushes through an opening in the muscle or tissue that holds it in place. Hernia is the condition when an abnormal exit of tissue or an organ, such as the intestine, through the wall of the cavity.
Types of Hernia?
Inguinal hernia (inner groin)
Inguinal hernia is the common type of hernias. In men, the inguinal canal is where the testes descend before birth. The canal contains the spermatic cord and blood vessels. When an inguinal hernia occurs, part of the intestine protrudes down the canal and into the scrotum. Inguinal hernia is more common in men than women because the canal is bigger.
Femoral (outer groin)
More common in women, femoral hernias occur when part of the intestine protrudes through the femoral canal and protrudes through the top of the thigh. The femoral canal is where the main blood vessels pass that supply the legs.
Hiatal hernia (upper stomach)
A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm, a hole usually occupied by the esophagus. There are two main types of hiatal hernia:
- The sliding hiatal hernia which is the most common. The sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus and the top of the stomach protrude through the hole (hiatus) in the diaphragm. A hernia may slide up and down, in and out of the lower chest. This type of hernia is often quite small.
- Rolling hiatal hernia is less common. Part of the stomach protrudes up through the hole in the diaphragm next to the esophagus.
Umbilical hernia
An umbilical hernia occurs when the abdominal wall is weakened at the point of the umbilical cord. Umbilical hernias are most common for infants and children.
Incisional hernia
An incisional hernia is a type of hernia caused by an incompletely-healed surgical wound. Since median incisions in the abdomen are frequent for abdominal exploratory surgery, ventral incisional hernias are often also classified as ventral hernias due to their location.
Epigastric Hernias
Epigastric hernias are protrusions of fat or sometimes intestine through the abdominal wall between the navel and the breastbone.
Ventral Hernias
This type of hernia occurs when scar tissue weakens the abdominal wall such as following a surgical operation or following trauma.
Obturator Hernias
An obturator hernia occurs when part of the intestine passes through the gap between the bones of the front of the pelvis.
What are the symptoms of Hernia?
The most common symptom of a hernia is a bulge or lump in the affected area. In the case of an inguinal hernia, you may notice a lump on either side of pubic bone where groin and thigh meet. For hernia on infants, you only be able to feel the bulge when the baby crying. A bulge is typically the only symptom of an umbilical hernia.
However, there is a case where hernia have no symptoms. Some may not know that they have hernia unless it shows up during a routine physical or a medical exam for an unrelated problem.
How to prevent Hernia?
There is no way to prevent the muscle weakness that allows hernia to occur. However, it can reduce the amount of strain place on your body. This may help to avoid hernia or keep an existing hernia from getting worse. Prevention tips include:
- Avoid smoking
- Receive treatment if got persistent cough
- Maintaining an ideal body weight
- Avoid straining during bowel movements or urination
- Avoid lifting too heavy weights