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
