Eat well, stay hydrated, exercise at levels that do not cause excessive pain to the hernia and get plenty of sleep. Remember #1 — try to keep a positive outlook – over 1 million people go through hernia surgery each year in the US.
Over-the-counter medications may relieve symptoms.
If advised by your doctor, over-the-counter medications like Tylenol and ibuprofen may be used temporarily to relieve mild pain and discomfort caused by a hernia.
Heavy exertion exercises, such as weightlifting, that cause you to strain. Overstretching your abdominal wall. Movements that lengthen the abdominal muscles, such as an upward dog position in yoga, put strain on the muscle walls and should be avoided prior to surgery.
If your hernia does not bother you, most likely you can wait to have surgery. Your hernia may get worse, but it may not. Over time, hernias tend to get bigger as the muscle wall of the belly gets weaker and more tissue bulges through. In some cases small, painless hernias never need repair.
You can get it surgically repaired, but it becomes an emergency if it becomes what's called an incarcerated hernia. And that's a strangulated hernia. So that's when you get enough of this stuff outside of the abdomen that the blood supply gets cut off to it.
What Happens if I Delay Hernia Surgery Repair? “Even if you aren't having any problems with it – with normal wear and tear, exercising, lifting, physical activity or pregnancies – that small hernia, over time, will start to become larger,” Dr. Donovan points out. “A larger hernia is harder to repair.”
If the hernia becomes very painful, that can mean the intestine is trapped inside the hernia, cutting off blood flow to the intestine. This is uncommon, but it can be life-threatening and should be repaired immediately. If you develop significant pain, go to the Emergency Department.
How long can you live with a hernia? The absolute answer is that it is “unpredictable.” Some can live with a hernia for their whole life while others will develop a hernia related emergency within months of the development of their hernia.
Unfortunately, the answer is no. While a hernia cannot heal itself, it can almost always be treated effectively with surgery.
While it may not be causing trouble now, it is very likely that it could lead to more serious complications later if it is not repaired. One of those complications is strangulation. This occurs when the bulging tissue is squeezed by the muscle wall. As a result, the blood supply is cut off and the tissue begins to die.
9) Sit on the toilet
Yes! Constipation is a terrible and uncomfortable feeling, especially when you are recovering from hernia surgery and have such little control over your bowels. However, sitting on the toilet can help trigger muscles in your body that says it is time for a bowel movement. Be patient though.
Will my stomach shrink after hernia repair? The size of your stomach will not necessarily shrink after a hernia repair. However, depending on the cause of your hernia and the type of repair you have, you may experience changes in your abdominal appearance after surgery.
Be sure that you complete all tests and any recommended consultations well in advance of surgery. Eat normally on the night before surgery but take no alcohol after 8PM and nothing to eat or drink after 12 midnight except prescription medications. Call us if you have any questions about the upcoming surgery.
During hernia surgery, a nerve may have been injured, compressed, or stuck in scar tissue after the mesh insert was placed. To determine if the pain is the result of nerve damage or injury, a nerve block may be used. A nerve block uses a local anesthetic to reduce the pain.
With both surgery types, you may feel pain or soreness for the first 72 hours post-op. You can often manage it with over-the-counter drugs, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen if your hernia was small or in the groin. Most people have less pain after minimally invasive hernia surgery versus open.
The operation usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes to complete and you'll usually be able to go home on the same day. Some people stay in hospital overnight if they have other medical problems or live on their own.
Fibre-rich, low acidic foods like apples, pears, carrots, sweet potatoes and leafy greens are good dietary choices when you have a hernia.
Once you no longer need prescription pain medication for your hernia pain, you can begin walking, lightly working, and driving again as long as you feel you have the energy to do so. At this stage of your recovery, you should still avoid lifting heavy objects (over 20 lbs) and avoid the gym or fitness machines.
If this condition is left untreated longer than 6 hours, incarcerated hernia can cut off blood flow to part of the intestine, resulting in strangulated hernia.
Progression to symptoms in most inguinal hernia patients
More recent studies show that about 80% of patients with inguinal hernia develop enough symptoms over 10 years that they end up needing surgery.
Repairing a hernia is major surgery. And like so many other types of surgery, hernia repairs have gotten much better for patients over the years, says Leon Clarke, MD, a general surgeon at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital.
During a laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair, the dangerous triangle (the triangle of doom) refers to a triangular area bound by the vas deferens, the testicular vessels and the peritoneal fold. Within the boundaries of this area, you can find the external iliac artery and vein.
Abdominal wall hernia repairs may require up to a two-day hospital stay due to the internal stitches and healing that is required.