Do You Have a Hernia?

Posted: April 1, 2005

A hernia (rupture) is usually noticed as a lump, commonly in the groin or the umbilical region. It appears when a portion of the tissue, which lines the abdominal cavity, breaks through a weakened area of the abdominal wall. The abdominal wall is a sheet of tough muscle and tendon that runs from the ribs down to the legs at the groin.

The area may have been weak at birth, or it may have been weakened by age, injury or a previous surgical incision. The outpouching, which turns into a noticeable bulge, can contain fat, intestine or other tissue. It is often quite visible against the skin.

As the hernia enlarges, it can cause discomfort and can sometimes be dangerous if a piece of intestine becomes trapped inside, cutting off blood flow to that portion of the intestine.

Who can get a hernia?
Anybody of either sex and at any age, including newborns, can get a hernia.

The following factors can increase an individual's risk for developing a hernia by straining or increasing pressure on the abdominal wall:

• A chronic cough, such as smoker's cough
• Obesity
• Straining during bowel movements or while urinating
• Pregnancy
• Straining to lift heavy objects
• Persistent sneezing, such as that caused by allergies

The effects felt by the patient can range from being perfectly painless, to discomfort, to being very painful.

Can hernias get better?
The opening of a hernia cannot heal itself and there isn’t any medicine that can cure the condition.

Almost every movement a person makes puts additional pressure on the internal tissues which, in turn, push out through the opening a little more each time. This also enlarges the opening itself. If unchecked, this process can continue.

A hernia will become steadily worse as time goes on, sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly. The only remedy for the condition is to repair the hernia surgically.

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