Hernia Prevention
Hernia is a condition that can be prevented. Although, there are some hernia types, particularly hernias due to a congenital defect, that are not preventable. Lifestyle change that includes a reduction of excessive abdominal pressure can help avert the incursion of hernia but regular exercise is a way to prevent hernia in an adult since muscles that are regularly exercised are well toned and strong and won’t easily tear or rupture. Other lifestyle changes that will promote hernia prevention include:
• Sustain a healthy weight – When you are overweight your body is subjected to a lot of strain and can also precariously stretch the thin membrane that lines the abdomen and covers most abdominal intestines. This condition is a risk factor for hernia to develop as well as many other problems.
• Avoid straining your muscles – Athletes such as football players, weight lifters and even golfers often strain and rip their muscles making them susceptible to hernia. If you are engaged in this sport, make sure that you do the proper warm up before you play.
• Have plenty of fiber intake – Regular bowel movement will preclude too much straining. Copious intake of fibrous materials found in fruits, vegetable and whole grains will help prevent constipation.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects – Avoid moving or lifting anything too heavy for one person. If you have to lift, don’t lift with your back, lift with your knees.
• Give up smoking – Persistent smoker’s cough could cause over straining and can increase the threat of hernia as well as other killer diseases.
Don’t depend on a hernia truss to cure hernia – A hernia truss or hernia support is not a long-term solution for inguinal hernia nor does it corrects any underlying problem. Truss will also not provide protection against complications. But a truss can be prescribed for a short time before surgery.
Hiatus Hernia Help Tips
A hiatus hernia is hernia that crops up in the chest area rather than in the abdomen or groin like an abdominal hernia. This type of hernia has a damaging effect on the digestive system.
A hiatus is the opening from where a gullet or esophagus passes through the diaphragm as it goes down to the stomach. The hiatus brings about a constricting of the cavity into the stomach preventing the contents of the stomach from going the wrong way such as in a reflux. A hiatus hernia occurs when the hiatus is fragile and the constricting function is weakened resulting in a reflux or the going back of the acidic digestive juices from the stomach to the gullet or esophagus. An indication of this condition is a painful burning feeling in the esophagus as well as chest pains that could spread all the way to just below the shoulder blades.
A hiatus hernia has no visible sign like that in an abdominal hernia. The condition is diagnosed and confirmed with the use of X-ray or endoscopy. Nothing can be done to avoid a hiatus hernia incidence but there are ways to deal with its symptoms, and this includes:
Lifestyle Approach
There are some changes in the way you do things that can help alleviate the symptoms of hiatus hernia. If you can identify foods that trigger a reflux attack then avoiding eating these foods can lessen the discomfort.
Other modifications to the way things are done can also prevent a recurrence of reflux. Avoiding a sudden bending or promptly lying down after eating a heavy meal or even drinking of water can avert the discomfort.
These changes in lifestyle could allow a patient to live with a hiatus hernia without suffering the symptoms even with no medication or surgical intervention but there are times when the lifestyle change could cause some insupportable hassle.
Medication
The kind of medication given to provide relief to the symptom of hiatus hernia such as a reflux is usually an antacid one kind could work well with some patient and another on another patient.
Surgery
A more permanent remedy to hiatus hernia is surgery.
Umbilical Type of Hernia, Symptoms and Causes
An umbilical hernia is a type of hernia that involves the intestine jutting out from a hole in the abdominal muscle around the belly button. It is mostly found in infants but adults can be afflicted too. A sign of umbilical hernia in an infant is the protrusion of the belly button when the infant cries. This condition is typically harmless and is not related to any disease but at times associated with some rare conditions such as Down syndrome, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and a rare lysomal disease called mucopolysaccharide disease.
Umbilical hernias normally disappear when the infant reaches age 1, but could take longer in some cases. If the child reaches the age of 4 with the umbilical hernia still present, the condition may need surgery. The same is true for umbilical hernias that develop in adulthood. Umbilical hernia in infants is normally painless but may cause some discomfort in adults.
In an infant, an umbilical hernia could develop when the muscle surrounding the blood vessel through which the blood flows to nourish the developing fetus does not close totally. While the fetus develop, the umbilical cord goes through a small aperture or hole in the fetus’ abdominal muscles. The hole generally closes before the birth of the child. The hole that does not close totally is a weakness in the abdominal wall that can cause the hernia after birth or when the child grows older. Cause of umbilical hernia in adults is excessive abdominal pressure due to:
• Chronic coughing
• Overweight or obesity
• Lifting of heavy objects
• Multiple pregnancies
• Ascites or excessive serous fluid in the abdominal cavity
An umbilical hernia can be as big a 1 centimeter to over 5 centimeters. It is a soft swelling over a baby’s navel that protrudes when the baby cries, sit ups or strain in moving its bowels but is flat when the baby is quiet or is lying on its back.
One serious complication of an umbilical hernia is the strangulation of bowel tissues in the hernia, and could need surgery.
When the baby becomes fussy and seems to be in pain or the hernia becomes swollen, tender or discolored, it is imperative to get the child medical attention.
Hernia in Women
The assumption that only men suffer from hernia is wrong. Hernia can occur in children and women as well, although it is true that it is more common in men. Hernia is life threatening, whether it is in men, women or children and should therefore, not taken for granted or ignored. Some types of hernia are commonly seen in women but the type or symptoms of hernia on women are also dependent to its location as it is in men. The location of the hernia has a vital role in the assessment of hernia symptoms in women.
The common symptoms of hernia on women are as follows:
• Hump or bulge – a hump or bulge appears under the abdominal wall when the protrusion pushes through the hole or weakened abdominal wall. Strenuous activities such as physical exercises, lifting of heavy objects and even coughing put a strain on the abdominal muscle, increasing the size of the bulge.
• Pain – Dull to severe pain is felt due to the tearing or stretching of the tissues but pain can also be caused by irritation or damaged nerve. The pain is usually localized, on the site of the hernia itself.
• Nausea or Vomiting – When the intestine is entrapped within the hernia, the normal flow of blood through the intestine is blocked causing nausea and vomiting. A partial blockage may only cause nausea without vomiting. It may also be a reason for loss of appetite
• Constipation – When the obstruction is total or the blockage is complete, it can also cause constipation which further promotes the protrusion.
• Urinary problems – A blockage or obstruction of the bladder, just like the intestine, can cause bladder stone, urinary burning, frequent urinary infections, increased frequency or hesitancy in urination.
• Other symptoms could be pain experienced during sexual intercourse
How Do I Recognize Hernia Symptoms
Hernia is a weakness or an opening or hole in the stomach muscle that causes bulging in the walls of the abdomen. The bulging becomes more noticeable when pressure is exerted on the abdomen, and the abdominal muscles are constricted. Any physical exertion such as coughing, lifting heavy objects or even straining during bowel movement that increase pressure on the abdomen worsen the hernia condition.
Hernia usually occurs in the groin area. The reason for this tendency is because the groin area has an anatomical weak spot resulting in deficient muscle coverage. The natural upright posture of a person brings about more force to push in the direction of the bottom of the abdomen, thus increasing pressure on the weak spot. Over time, these factors can cause a breakdown of the support tissues that enlarges any existing hole or causes a tear that could result to a new hole.
Hernia comes in several forms and a person can suffer several types of hernia all at the same time. There are the direct, indirect and femoral hernias defined by the position of the opening of the hernia from the stomach to the groin. Ventral hernia, another type of hernia occurs in the middle of the abdomen, normally, above the navel. Ventral hernia is most of the time painless. Umbilical hernia is hernia occurring within the navel.
Hernia is usually accompanied with pain and soreness in the affected area when a person bends or lifts heavy objects. Its visible manifestation is swelling in the abdomen or the groin area. Some people pushes the hernia back in, but after a while it may return again. Surgery is the only remedy to hernia. One serious complication of hernia is incarceration. This is a process whereby tissues are trapped in the hernia causing the tissue to be damaged or die because of lack of blood supply. The treatment for incarceration is also surgery
