Hernias occur when an organ protrudes through an opening in the muscular wall or tissue that holds the organ in place. These are common and most commonly occur in the abdomen. They can also occur in the groin, belly button or upper thigh.
Many people don’t realize that they have one. Usually, they are not life-threatening. But some cause potentially dangerous complications that require surgery.
The most common type is an inguinal hernia. Most of these occur in men. It’s when the intestines push through the inguinal canal, the area where the spermatic cord passes through to the testicles. The testicles pass through the inguinal canal shortly after birth. The canal is supposed to close afterward, but sometimes, it fails to close leading to a hernia later in life.
The diagnosis is straightforward, usually by physical exam. The bulge becomes larger when you stand or cough. A hiatal hernia is diagnosed with a barium X-ray or through endoscopy.
Surgery is considered only when these is a risk of the intestine becoming strangulated. Should this occur, it is a medical emergency. What are the 7 most common symptoms of a hernia?
1. Abdomen Pain
One of the most common signs of hernias is abdomen pain, discomfort and/or a feeling of heaviness in the area surrounding the hernia. The pain may be more prominent when bending over, stooping, coughing or lifting heavy objects. Some patients experience abdominal twinges or sharp pulling sensations. The pain may be occasional. As the hernia grows in size, the pain may become constant. Some patients describe the abdominal pain as a heavy, dragging sensation increasing when they are on their feet for an extended period. Other patients describe the pain as a burning sensation. It might feel more like tingling.
Others describe the discomfort as a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen that is aggravated by standing, playing sports or working around the house. Some feel like something has torn and experience sharp pain. If this sharp, sudden pain is accompanied by a bulge protruding from your abdomen, you’ve probably developed a hernia. When it first appears, the pain may be transient. Over time, it may grow (as evidenced by a larger bulge), and the pain becomes constant. Speak to your physician about your symptoms to ensure that you haven’t developed a serious risk for strangulation of your intestine.
2. Pelvic Pain
Women experience deep pelvic pain even though no bulge is apparent as it is in men. That’s because the defect is located deeper with the abdomen of a woman. It is important to accurately describe the pelvic pain and when it occurs to help your doctor determine the cause. Most women describe the pain as shooting, burning or pinching. The pain becomes worst when lifting weights, coughing, laughing or going to the bathroom. Women account for less than 10 percent of the inguinal hernias. Unfortunately, doctors don’t always suspect the true diagnosis due to lack of a bulge appearing.
3. Groin Discomfort
Men are more likely to have groin pain because about 90 percent of all inguinal hernias occur in men. They describe the pain as a heavy, dragging sensation low in the groin. The groin area may swell contributing to the discomfort or there may be a burning sensation. Their pain is aggravated by lifting heavy weights, bending over, coughing or stooping. Lying down usually helps relieve the pain. If a bulge is present, it may be very sensitive to touch. The scrotum may also swell contributing to the groin discomfort. Men may have swelling in their testicles.
4. Abdomen Tenderness
You may be fortunate and not experience any signs from a hernia. Many people experience abdomen tenderness and soreness. It often increases with heavy lifting, straining to go to the bathroom or being on your feet for a long time. Some sufferers describe their discomfort as a feeling of achiness and/or heaviness. The tenderness and discomfort can be aggravated by bending over. Symptoms may also be worse when you are tired from housework or yard work. The abdominal tenderness may feel like a pulling sensation or the bulge may feel tender to the touch. Tight clothing may also cause tenderness.
5. Constipation
This is an unexpected symptom. Sometimes a loop of your intestine becomes trapped in your abdominal wall and obstructs your bowel causing constipation. When a portion of your intestine becomes trapped, the passage of food may dramatically slow down. That slowing down is the cause of constipation. In many cases, the condition becomes chronic. If a patient knows that they have a hernia and develop new, chronic constipation, they should probably see a specialist to avoid the risk of strangulation. Strangulation is a medical emergency that cuts off the blood supply to the intestine that may cause a patient to become septic.
6. Trouble Lifting or Bending Over
Over time, the bulge may increase in size. Then you can experience trouble lifting or bending over. The pressure caused by bending over can exacerbate the pain/discomfort that you experience. Bending over puts pressure on the loop of intestine that has slipped through the abdominal wall and often causes discomfort. You may also have trouble picking up something heavy. The weight of the object in your arms in addition to bending over to pick it up may cause pain, heaviness or a strong pulling sensation. These discomforts might be your first symptom that you experience.
7. Heartburn
Heartburn is associated with hiatal hernias. A hiatal hernia occurs when a small portion of your stomach protrudes through a hole in your diaphragm. As it grows, undigested food and stomach acid reflux into your esophagus causing heartburn. Most patients don’t realize they have a hiatal hernia just because of experiencing heartburn. Other symptoms include chest pain when bending over, frequent burping and a sore throat. If these symptoms persist, you need to talk to your doctor to help determine the cause. Losing weight sometimes help alleviate your symptoms. If your heartburn impacts your quality of life, you might need to consider surgery.
