Hernia

A hernia occurs when body tissues protrude from their normal sacs. This happens when the lining of the membrane holding them develops a hole or gets weak. When this protrusion occurs, there is intense pressure at the opening through which the hernia pushes. This leads to constriction of blood vessels in the hernia, which cuts off blood supply to the area. Hernias usually occur in the abdominal wall. Inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia. It occurs around the groin area, where the thighs connect to the torso. It is more prevalent among men and can be either direct or indirect. Indirect hernia grows in the direction of the scrotum and can occur at any age. Direct inguinal hernia occurs mostly in middle age and old age and grows where the abdominal lining is thinnest.

Other types of hernia are femoral hernia which grows in the mid-thigh area and most commonly affects women, umbilical hernia which forms at birth, spigelian hernia which occurs along the rectus, incisional hernia caused by flaws in the abdominal wall usually following surgery, epigastric hernia which is a fatty tissue hernia forming between the lower rib cage and the naval, and obturator hernia, a rare, hard-to-diagnose hernia that forms in the pelvic cavity. It mostly affects women.

Many people with hernia show no symptoms. Where symptoms occur, the most obvious are discomfort and pain. You get that feeling that something is not in its rightful place. Presence of a lump is reason enough to see a doctor for confirmation.  When a hernia is diagnosed, a simple surgery is carried out to repair the weak lining and put the body tissues back in place. The operation takes less than an hour and complete healing occurs within a week. You can prevent the occurrence of hernia by maintaining ideal weight, increasing fiber intake, taking plenty of water, lifting things correctly and avoiding smoking.