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A hernia occurs when a piece of tissue bulges through an area of the body — usually a weak point in a person’s abdominal wall. Some hernias may cause few symptoms. Others can be a medical emergency. There are 6 different types of hernia conditions.
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A hernia occurs when a piece of tissue bulges through an area of the body — usually a weak point in a person’s abdominal wall. Some hernias may cause few symptoms. Others can be a medical emergency.
Here we’ll discuss different areas in the body where hernias can occur, plus guide you to more in-depth articles about each hernia type.
The following are some of the most common hernia types that occur in the body.
An epigastric hernia is one that occurs in the epigastric region of the abdomen, which is located above the belly button and below the ribcage.
If you have an epigastric hernia, you may be able to feel it when there is pressure on the abdominal wall, such as when you cough, laugh, or bear down to have a bowel movement.
You may also have some pain or tenderness around where the hernia is.
A femoral hernia occurs when tissue pushes through a weak point in the groin or inner thigh. The hernia may feel like a small- to medium-sized lump in the groin.
An estimated 2 to 4 percentTrusted Source of all hernias that occur in the groin are femoral ones. Women experience femoral hernias more often than men.
A femoral hernia can be a cause for concern due to the femoral artery and vein being nearby. It’s possible the hernia could affect these blood vessels and block blood flow to and from the leg. Because of this, doctors almost always try to correct a femoral hernia with surgery.
A hiatal hernia is a condition that occurs when a person’s stomach bulges through a weak point in the diaphragm, a muscle that separates the lungs from the abdominal organs.
If you have a hiatal hernia, you’re more likely to have problems with acid reflux.
Some people are born with a hiatal hernia, while others develop one as they age.
Hiatal hernias are classified into types — from type I to IV — depending on where they are located.
An estimated 95 percent of hiatal hernias are type I: With these hernias, the stomach remains in position, yet the area where the esophagus meets the stomach slides above the diaphragm.
An incisional hernia can occur after a person has stomach surgery, which usually involves an incision down the middle of the stomach. If the surgical wound doesn’t heal completely, that person can be more vulnerable to developing a hernia.
Some doctors may use the terms “ventral hernia” and “incisional hernia” interchangeably. A ventral hernia refers to any hernia type that occurs along the midline of the stomach. However, not all ventral hernias are incisional hernias.
An inguinal hernia occurs when a portion of intestine or fat bulges through the lower stomach wall. The bulge usually goes through the inguinal canal, which is located in the groin area.
An inguinal hernia can contain a portion of the small intestine in some people and even parts of the female reproductive organs in some women.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, inguinal hernias usually occur on the right side. They’re also much more common in men: An estimated 27 percent of men and only 3 percent of women will develop an inguinal hernia in their lifetime.
Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference between a femoral and inguinal hernia. In men, an inguinal hernia can cause a bulge not only in the groin, but also in the scrotum.
Umbilical hernias are those in which tissues in the body bulge through an area of weakness in the belly button area (umbilicus). According to the American College of Surgeons, an estimated 10 percent of all hernias in the stomach are umbilical hernias.
This hernia type causes a visible bulge in or around the belly button that’s usually worse when you cough or strain when having a bowel movement.
Read about repair surgery for umbilical hernias.
Hernias can be dangerous because they can become strangulated or incarcerated.
An incarcerated hernia occurs when protruding tissue can’t be pushed back into place, putting constant pressure or discomfort on a person’s body.
A strangulated hernia is a medical emergency because the area bulging through loses blood supply.
Hernias don’t usually go away on their own, and if they progress to a strangulated hernia, they are a medical emergency.
As a result, some doctors will recommend surgical correction of a noticeable hernia to try to keep it from getting worse or causing an emergency situation.
Otherwise, they may recommend watching the hernia to make sure it can always fit back through the abdominal wall.
If a person has a known hernia and develops the following symptoms, they should seek immediate medical attention.
Seek immediate medical care if you have a hernia and experience the following symptoms:
Most people can’t prevent a hernia. They occur due to a combination of genetic and medical history. However, there are a few things you can try to prevent a hernia:
Hernia types can vary by location and symptoms. If you detect a hernia, talk to your primary care doctor. They may refer you to a specialist to assess the hernia.
If your doctor doesn’t recommend surgery, they will let you know what symptoms require emergency medical attention so you can be on the lookout for them.
https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-hernia [1]
When people use the term hernia they are usually referring to an inguinal hernia.
An inguinal hernia is commonly referred to as a rupture. It occurs in the groin at the level of the groin crease.
The term hernia means that a portion of gut has bulged out through a gap in the abdominal muscles giving rise to a small swelling in the groin. Hernias occur in both sexes and can affect all age groups from infancy to old age.
There is a related condition known as a femoral hernia. It is similar in many respects to an inguinal hernia except that it arises just below the groin crease.
Inguinal hernias are very common in infants under the age of one year. They occur as a result of a congenital weakness in the abdominal wall and are easily repaired.
The following is a list of causes of hernia in older people:
Many people with a hernia will have diagnosed the condition themselves because they will have noticed a bulge or swelling in the groin. The swelling increases in size throughout the day depending on the level of physical activity. Usually the hernia reduces in size after a night’s sleep and may not be visible the next morning on first waking up.
Some people may complain of pain or discomfort in the area of the swelling. Others may complain of a bloated feeling. If the level of discomfort is becoming more severe over the course of the day or if there is any difficulty in passing stools, medical advice should be sought.
An inguinal hernia is usually easily identifiable as a swelling in the groin. The examining doctor will usually request that the patient give a cough, which increases the size of the bulge. This is known as a cough impulse. Hernias can range in size from a small barely visible swelling to a bulge the size of a small football.
Hernias are best repaired through elective surgery. The traditional operation involves making an incision parallel to the groin crease. The portion of gut or intestine that has created the bulge is pushed back into the abdominal cavity. The defect in the abdominal muscles, through which the gut has bulged outwards, is then repaired. A piece of plastic mesh is stitched in place as part of the repair. Hernia surgery is a repair procedure and does not involve removal of the swelling. It simply reduces the swelling and repairs the defect in the lower abdominal wall.
Traditional hernia repair requires a hospital stay of several days’ duration. Increasing numbers of people now undergo a keyhole procedure, which results in a shorter hospital stay and quicker convalescence.
Infants requiring hernia repair are usually sent home a few hours after undergoing surgery. This is perfectly safe and is standard practice in most paediatric units.
In the past many people were treated with a surgical truss. A truss is a support device that prevents the hernia from bulging out. They are rarely used nowadays and surgical treatment remains the treatment of choice.
The principal risk with a hernia is that it can strangulate. This means that the bulge into the groin gets stuck and is unable to reduce back into the abdomen. As a result of this process the bowel obstructs leading to swelling of the abdomen and increasing pain. A strangulated hernia is a surgical emergency and requires speedy attention.
http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?con=466 [2]
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