What Are the Treatment Options for Hernia?

Hernia is a common medical condition that leads to an abnormal lump or bulge, typically in the abdomen or groin area. This commonly affects men when compared to women and has varying symptoms in both. Usually, hernias are small in size and do not cause any pain or discomfort, and it disappears on lying down, which is the most striking feature of a hernia. The lump increases in size while coughing, sneezing, standing, etc., due to the strain on the abdominal muscles. Usually, hernias do not require any treatment, unless they cause complications like severe pain, bowel obstruction, and strangulation (the hernia is deprived of the blood supply).

This blog explores the various treatment modalities used to repair or treat a hernia depending on the size, severity, and type of hernia.

What is Hernia?

A hernia occurs when any part or tissue within your body bulges through an opening or weakness in the muscle or tissue barrier that contains it. Most often, hernia involves your abdominal organs pushing through one of the walls of your abdominal cavity. Other areas include your lower chest through your diaphragm, your groin area, along the front midline of your abdomen, or through a previous abdominal surgery incision (cut). Hernias may occur due to a pre-existing muscle weakness at birth, trauma or injury, family history, being overweight (obese), multiple pregnancies, smoking, chronic (long-lasting) cough or constipation.

Hernias are usually harmless, and do not require any treatment, or non-surgical management would be sufficient to relieve symptoms like mild pain and discomfort. Sometimes hernias may grow in size and cause complications like severe pain, abdominal bloating, constipation, fever, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, indigestion, heartburn, and acid reflux, which may occur due to hernia obstruction or strangulation and require immediate medical attention through surgery.

How is Hernia Treated?

Most often, hernias go unnoticed and do not require any treatment, until you experience symptoms like pain and discomfort. The treatment of hernia depends on the size and severity of the condition, and the location of the lump. 

• Non-surgical treatment

• This treatment approach is beneficial for small hernias without any obvious symptoms, or for mild symptoms like pain, nausea and vomiting.

• • • However you need to consult your doctor before you opt for these conservative methods to curb the further growth of hernias and relieve symptoms.
    • Non-surgical treatment include lifestyle changes such as:

• Weight loss

• • • • • Excess fat accumulation may increase your risk of overgrowth and further push the hernia and cause more damage.
        • Reducing weight helps to burn out the excess fat present.

• Regular exercise

• • • • • Exercise is beneficial since it improves blood circulation and helps to strengthen the core muscles.
        • Follow low-intensity exercises like walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, and light jogging.
        • Avoid strenuous exercises to prevent unnecessary strain on the hernia to prevent further complications. 

• Healthy, nutritious diet

• • • • • Diet is important to improve your overall health and immunity and to speed up the healing process.
        • Include fresh fruits and vegetables and juices, grains, nuts and protein rich foods.
        • Avoid processed foods, additives, preservatives, junk food, red meat and fatty foods.

• Using hernia belts and trusses

• • • • • These aids help in keeping the hernia intact within the muscle wall, and prevents the hernia from moving. 

• Reducing stress

• • • • • Reducing stress helps to maintain your metabolism. 
        • Stress-reducing activities include- yoga, meditation, listening to music, and aromatherapy.

• Cryotherapy

• • • • • Ice packs help reduce the inflammation and pain caused by hernias.

• Other home remedies

• • • • • Aloe vera, ginger root, black pepper, etc, possess anti-inflammatory properties, and help to soothe the stomach lining and suppress the acid reflux caused due to hernia.

• Surgical treatment

• • • Surgical intervention is necessary for hernias that rapidly enlarge in size and cause symptoms (pain, heartburn, acid reflux, constipation, etc.) that affect your quality of life. Surgery for hernias include the following:

• Conventional open surgery

• • • • • This is an old and traditional approach for hernia repair.

        • It involves large incisions (cuts) through which the hernia is pushed using a mesh placed over it.
        • The su
        • The incisions are closed using sutures or surgical tapes which need to be removed after 5 to 7 days.
        • This approach causes a large scar, with longer healing and recovery time.

• Laparoscopic surgery

• • • • This is an advanced surgical approach that uses a special device called laparoscope, that consists of a tiny camera at the end with a light source.
      • This approach requires keyhole-sized incisions through which the laparoscopy is inserted and the images are projected on a large screen for easy access. 
      • Tiny surgical instruments are inserted through other incisions to push the hernia and place a mesh over it.
      • The incisions are closed with small sutures that are usually resorbable.
      • Laparoscopic surgery involves less scarring with faster healing and speedy recovery.

• Robotic surgery

• • This is same as the laparoscopic surgery which uses a laparoscope, however the surgeon performing the procedure is seated at a console to control the instruments while viewing your anatomy in high definition. 

  • The incisions are closed once the mesh is placed.

  • This technique provides good precision with highly successful results, and faster recovery.

What are Some Specialized Hernia Repair Procedures?

There are some recent advances in the surgical approach of certain types of hernias that are minimally invasive with high success rates. 

Non-mesh groin (inguinal) hernia repair

• • • This technique involves a 4-layer sutured closure of the muscles and fascia of the groin and abdominal wall to repair the hernia and strengthen the inguinal floor.

• Robotic component separation

• • • These are used to reconstruct large hernia defects while preserving the function of the abdominal wall, in order to bring your midline closer together.

• Totally extraperitoneal hernia repair

• • This is a minimally invasive technique for umbilical hernias that involves placing tubes inside the abdomen filled with a gas.
  • It allows direct visualization of muscle layers and a quick and more precise hernia repair.

Takeaway

Hernias are common conditions that present with abnormal protrusion or bulging through weakened muscle walls. These are usually small in size and painless that develop in areas like your abdomen, groin, or lower chest. 

Hernias with mild pain and discomfort can be easily managed with non-surgical methods and remedies, however when you have severe pain and other related complications (obstruction and strangulation) surgical intervention is necessary. Non-surgical methods include lifestyle changes and hernia belts and trusses, while surgical procedures include open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgery. 

Consult our expert healthcare specialists at Medfin, for further queries about the treatment options depending on the size and severity of your hernia.

Disclaimer: 

The content on this site is the copyright of Medfin and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This should not be considered as a substitute for medical and surgical expertise. Results from any treatments or surgeries are subjective to an individual patient and the type of procedure/ surgery performed. Please seek professional help regarding any medical concerns. Medfin will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.