Frequently Occurring Hernia Characteristics, Know the Causes that We Need to Watch Out for

A hernia is a lump that appears as a result of an internal organ leaving the body through weakened surrounding tissue. If left untreated, a hernia can cause blood flow blockage resulting in tissue death.

 

Causes of Hernia

A hernia occurs when an organ protrudes through weakened surrounding tissue. The causes can vary, including:

• Ageing or aging
• Frequent heavy lifting
• Undergoing abdominal surgery
• Excess weight or obesity
• Chronic cough
• Constipation

In addition to the above conditions, there are factors that can increase a person's risk of suffering from a hernia, including:

• Being born prematurely or having a low birth weight
• Having a family member with a hernia
• Experiencing increased pressure in the abdominal wall due to pregnancy
• Having undergone hernia repair surgery

 

Hernia Symptoms
Hernia symptoms can vary, depending on the type the patient is experiencing. The following are the types of hernias and the symptoms that accompany them:

 

1. Inguinal hernia

Inguinal hernias are most commonly experienced by men. This condition occurs when the intestines or tissues in the abdominal cavity protrude into the groin, causing symptoms such as:

• A groin lump that is affected by the hernia, but disappears when lying down
• Pain in the groin, especially when coughing, exercising or lifting heavy items
• The groin feels heavy or hot
• Swelling and pain in the sac of the testicles (scrotum)

 

2. Femoral hernia

A femoral hernia occurs when tissue or part of the intestine protrudes into the inner upper thigh. Femoral hernias are more common in women who are overweight. Symptoms of a femoral hernia include:

• Pain in the groin when standing, lifting heavy objects, coughing, or exercising
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting

 

3. Umbilical hernia

An umbilical hernia occurs when part of the intestine or tissue protrudes through the muscle near the navel. This type of hernia is commonly experienced by infants as a result of their umbilical cord holes not closing completely. Symptoms of an umbilical hernia include:

• Reddish or purplish protruding navel
• Round shape of the abdomen
• The abdomen feels full
• Abdominal pain when pressed
• Constipation
• Fever
• Vomiting

 

4. Hiatal hernia

A hiatal hernia, also known as a diaphragmatic hernia, occurs when part of the stomach protrudes into the chest cavity. The lump enters through the muscle that separates the chest cavity and the abdominal cavity (diaphragm). Common symptoms of a hiatal hernia are:

• Heartburn
• Acid reflux disease (GERD)
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Shortness of breath
• Vomiting blood
• Chest pain
• Abdominal pain
• Blackish stools

 

5. Incisional hernia

An incisional hernia occurs when tissue protrudes through a surgical scar in the abdomen. Common symptoms are:

• Constipation
• A lump near the surgical incision
• Pain around the lump
• Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever

 

6. Epigastric hernia

An epigastric hernia occurs when tissue protrudes through the upper abdominal wall, from the solar plexus to the navel. Symptoms of this condition include:

• A lump above the navel
• Pain around the herniated lump
• Abdominal pain, especially when sneezing, coughing, or laughing

 

7. Spigelian hernia

A spigelian hernia occurs when a portion of the intestine protrudes from the spigelian abdominal connective tissue (spigelian fascia). Symptoms include:

• A lump under or next to the belly button
• Intermittent or persistent abdominal pain
• Abdominal pain when exercising, lifting heavy objects, or during bowel movements
• Constipation

 

8. Muscle hernia

A muscle hernia occurs when a portion of muscle protrudes through the muscle's protective layer (fascia). Unlike the other types of hernias, they most commonly occur in the shin muscles of the legs due to injury, either from exercising too strenuously or lifting weights.

Symptoms of a muscle hernia include prolonged pain in the leg and may be accompanied by swelling. This swelling may disappear when resting and reappear when the muscle is tensed.

When to see a doctor?
See a doctor if you experience the symptoms of a hernia as mentioned above. Examination and treatment need to be done immediately if:

• Pain appears suddenly and feels severe
• The hernia lump changes color to purple or black
• The hernia lump is painful and hard
• Difficulty defecating or passing gas
• Severe nausea and vomiting
• Fever

 

Hernia Diagnosis
The doctor will ask questions about symptoms and medical history, followed by a physical examination of the patient. After that, the doctor will perform further examinations, such as:

• Ultrasound, to view the inside of the abdominal and pelvic organs
• Rotgen photos, to examine the esophagus, stomach and intestines
• CT scan, to examine in more detail the internal organs of the abdominal cavity
• MRI, to detect tears in the abdominal muscles, even if there is no visible lump
• Endoscopy, to examine the inside of the esophagus and stomach

 

Hernia Treatment
After determining the diagnosis, the doctor will determine the appropriate treatment according to the type of hernia and the patient's condition. Some of the treatment methods that can be done by the doctor are:

Administration of drugs
Administration of drugs can be done to people with hiatal hernia. These drugs function to reduce stomach acid to relieve symptoms. Some types of drugs that are prescribed are:

• Antacids
• H-2 receptor antagonists
• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

 

Surgery 
Surgery to treat a hernia can be done by open surgery or keyhole surgery (laparoscopy). There are several surgical methods that can be performed by doctors to treat hernias, namely:

• Herniotomy : Herniotomy involves making an incision in the abdomen to remove the hernia sac.
• Hernioraphy : Just like in herniotomy, hernioraphy is performed by stitching the hernia exit area to strengthen the abdominal wall.
• Hernioplasty : In hernioplasty, the doctor will use a synthetic mesh to close the hole where the hernia exits.

 

Complications of Hernia
Hernias that are not treated immediately will grow larger and press on the surrounding tissue. This can lead to complications such as:

Incarcerated hernia : An incarcerated hernia is when the intestine becomes trapped in the abdominal wall, causing severe pain, nausea, vomiting and difficulty passing stools.

Strangulated hernia : Strangulated hernia is when the blood flow to the intestine is blocked, causing tissue death.

 

Hernia Prevention
The following are efforts that can be made to prevent hernias:

• Quit smoking
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain an ideal body weight
• Eat healthy, nutritionally complete and balanced food
• Increase fiber intake to prevent constipation
• Not lifting weights beyond your ability, including weight lifting exercises
• Be careful when lifting heavy objects
• See a doctor if you have a cough that does not go away