An inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia. It isn’t necessarily dangerous, however, it’s important to be aware that it does not heal on its own. Your physician may recommend surgery if it is painful and enlarging and before complications set in. Keep reading our guide to discover what you need to know about causes, symptoms, and treatment.
What’s a Inguinal Hernia?
An inguinal hernia is a bulge in the groin area that occurs when the contents of the abdomen, frequently the intestine or fat, pushes through a weak area in the lower abdominal wall. The bulge may hurt when you’re bending over, coughing, or lifting something heavy. On the other hand, some hernias cause no pain.
Understanding the Causes and Risk Factors
You may develop an inguinal hernia from weakened abdominal muscles. This can occur due to getting older, from activities like chronic coughing from smoking, or lifting heavy objects. It can also be congenial from birth.
A direct inguinal hernia develops when your intestine pushes through a weak area in the abdominal wall often in older individuals.
An indirect inguinal hernia occurs when the intestine pushes through the inguinal canal often present at birth.
Additional causes and risk factors include:
- Being a male
- Having a family history
- Having been born prematurely
- Being overweight or obese
- Pregnancy
- Having cystic fibrosis
- Frequently straining due to chronic constipation
Less frequently, women can develop a femoral hernia when the hernia occurs in two other canals known as femoral canals. It is estimated that 27% of men will develop an inguinal hernia during their lifetime, whereas only 3% of women will get a femoral or inguinal hernia.
Common Symptoms of an Inguinal Hernia
Those with an inguinal hernia will notice the following symptoms:
- A bulge in the groin area which becomes more noticeable when standing or straining
- Pain in the groin when coughing, lifting, or bending
- A feeling of pressure or heaviness in the groin along with a burning or aching sensation
- Sometimes you may be able to push the hernia into place
What Are the Treatment Options?
When you have these symptoms, make an appointment with a hernia specialist like Our experienced team for an examination. The specialist will be able to diagnose that you have an inguinal hernia.
Watch and Wait
You may get a recommendation to watch and wait if you are not having any symptoms and the hernia is small.
Surgical Repair
The main treatment for a hernia is surgical repair.
The purpose of the surgical repair is to reinforce the weakened area. This repair can be performed as an open repair with a large incision to reach the hernia to make the repair.
Another technique is a minimally invasive procedure called a laparoscopy. Tiny incisions and instruments are inserted with a camera to make the repair visible on a computer screen.
It is essential to schedule your hernia repair before complications can occur. The hernia can become trapped causing pain, swelling and bowel obstruction. This is called an incarcerated hernia and is one complication. The second complication is even more serious known as a strangulated hernia. In this case blood is cut off to the intestine and is a medical emergency.
Recovery Post-Hernia Repair
You may need some prescribed pain meds for a few weeks although the pain is typically mild. Your doctor will advise you about any restrictions at first.
- No lifting or straining during the recovery period.
- Be sure to keep all your follow up appointments.
- Walking is an important part of recovery and will help prevent complications post surgery.
How to Prevent a Recurrence
- Do what you can to prevent constipation.
- Don’t lift anything heavy, or learn how to lift properly using your legs.
- Lose some weight if needed.
- Stop smoking if that causes your coughing.
Hernia Specialist in Southeast Michigan
Contact SEM Surgical at (248) 985-8060 for an examination if you suspect you may have an inguinal hernia.
