Hernias occur when an organ or tissue pushes through a weak spot in surrounding muscles. While some hernias may start as minor inconveniences, they can become serious health issues if left untreated.
As a board-certified general surgeon, Dr. Mikhail A. Botvinov and the Bergen Bariatric and Surgical Solutions team want you to know that all hernias should be taken seriously.
Read on as our team describes five types of hernias and signs that you may be dealing with a hernia.
This is the most common type of hernia and occurs when a part of your intestine — or, in rare cases, your bladder — pushes through your abdominal wall or into the groin. Inguinal hernias are more common in men. They affect 27% of men and 3% of women.
Signs to watch for:
If an inguinal hernia can’t be massaged back into place, you run the risk of your hernia becoming incarcerated or stuck. If your hernia is stuck, it can block blood flow to the tissue inside the hernia.
Seek medical care immediately if the bulge seems larger than normal, if you can’t massage it back into place, if you have a fever and/or severe pain, or if the bulging area is red.
Umbilical hernias are common in both infants and adults. They happen when part of the intestine protrudes through the abdominal wall near your belly button.
You might suspect you have an umbilical hernia if you spot a soft bulge near your navel. You might also experience pain or swelling around your belly button, especially during physical activity or coughing.
Umbilical hernias typically resolve in babies by the age of five. However, umbilical hernias can become incarcerated, just like inguinal hernias. If that happens, you might notice constipation, severe pain, fever, and a full, rounded belly.
This type of hernia develops at the site of a previous surgical incision when your abdominal wall doesn’t heal properly.
Signs to watch for:
Incisional hernias don’t necessarily form immediately after surgery. They can develop at any point but are most common three to six months after surgery.
More common in women, a femoral hernia occurs when abdominal tissue pushes through your lower belly into the upper thigh. These are rare — they account for less than 3% of hernias — and can develop as a result of straining from childbirth, weight lifting, chronic coughing, or obesity.
These hernias appear as a lump in your upper thigh or groin area. Movement can make your pain worse.
You might not even realize if you have a small hernia. Still, as they increase in size, they can increase your risk of serious complications like bowel obstruction, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you suspect that you have a femoral hernia.
Hiatal hernias form when part of your stomach pushes up into your chest through your diaphragm.
While the other hernias tend to produce noticeable bulges, this type of hernia can cause other symptoms — ones that can be easily mistaken for other conditions. This includes persistent heartburn or acid reflux, difficulty swallowing, and chest pain or discomfort, especially after eating.
If you’ve recently started to struggle with these symptoms, don’t brush them off.
So when should you take hernias seriously? Any time that you suspect you have one! Because untreated hernias can cause severe complications, it’s a good idea to give us a call.
Even if we’re just monitoring a mild hernia, that gives us a chance to spot any changes in your hernia that may warrant surgery.
Certain symptoms require urgent medical attention, including:
If you suspect that you have a bowel obstruction, go to your nearest emergency room.
Treatment for mild hernias might just be monitoring. However, if your hernia is incarcerated (stuck) or strangulated (cut off blood supply), you may need surgery.
Dr. Botvinov repairs the hernia and removes any damaged tissue with minimally invasive surgical techniques. In the case of an incarcerated hernia that becomes strangulated, surgery can be life-saving.
Don’t brush off the signs of hernias. If you’re concerned, give us a call in Westwood, New Jersey, at 201-778-5344. For less urgent matters, you can schedule an appointment online at our office.
