What is a hernia?
A hernia is a protrusion of an organ or tissue through an abnormal opening in the body. Most hernias occur when a piece of intestine slips through a weakness in the abdominal wall, creating a bulge you can see and feel. Hernias can develop in the groin (inguinal hernia), around the navel (umbilical hernia), or any place where you may have had a surgical incision (ventral hernia). Some hernias are present at birth; others develop slowly over a period of months or years. Hernias can also come on quite suddenly. Think of a hernia as a bulge in a tire. The outer wall of the tire is like your abdominal wall. The inner tube of the tire is like your intestines. Most of the time, the outer wall of the tire is strong enough to hold the inner tube, but if the wall weakens, a bulge may occur. This is just like the way a hernia may form in a weakness in the abdominal wall. Symptoms: A hernia can be both seen and felt. You may notice it as a lump in your abdomen or groin that may or may not disappe
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or part of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hernia occurs when there is a weakness or tear in your abdominal wall as a result of aging, injury, a previous surgical incision, or a condition present at birth. Hernias generally grow larger due to pressure on them, such as a loop of your intestine or fatty tissue pushing into the weak abdominal tissue or tear. The result is a sac that forms in the abdominal wall. You may or may not see a bulge at this point. As more abdominal contents push into the sac, a bulge will appear. Sometimes the bulge can be flattened out by lying down or pushing against it. Though a hernia at this stage – known as a reducible hernia – is not an emergency situation, you will likely still need surgery to repair it. If the intestine gets trapped, or is non-reducible, it is called an incarcerated hernia, and can be quite painful. The bulge cannot ordinarily be flattened out and immediate surge
A hernia is an opening or weakness in the muscular structure of the wall of the abdomen. This defect causes a bulging of the abdominal wall. This bulging is usually more noticeable when the abdominal muscles are tightened, thereby increasing the pressure in the abdomen. Any activities that increase intra-abdominal pressure can worsen a hernia; examples of such activities are lifting, coughing, or even straining to have a bowel movement. Imagine a barrel with a hole in its side and a balloon that is blown up inside the barrel. Part of the inflated balloon would bulge out through the hole. The balloon going through the hole is like the tissues of the abdomen bulging through a hernia. Serious complications from a hernia result from the trapping of tissues in the hernia—a process called incarceration. Trapped tissues may have their blood supply cut off, leading to damage or death of the tissue. The treatment of an incarceration usually involves surgery. Where are hernias located? The most
