An Inguinal Hernia is a gap in the strong tissue in the abdomen which holds the stomach muscles. It occurs in the abdominal muscles and weakens them which cause a bulge in the stomach. Hernia causes discomfort and pain in the stomach. Both men and women can get inguinal hernia. Symptoms of Inguinal Hernia: It can cause a severe pain in abdomen especially in pelvis region. The later symptoms also result in swelling and severe pain in the testicles or groin area. Apart from that the patients who are suffering from inguinal hernia have a problem in walking straight and straining the abdominal muscles by lifting up some things. Diagnosis: The diagnosis of this type of hernia is physical examination as the doctor can see and feel the bulge. For further diagnosis other tests like ultrasound and CT scan is also done. Treatment and Recovery: The surgery of inguinal hernia is done with laparoscopic approach with the help of instrument called laparoscope. Small incisions are made in the abdomen to insert the laparoscope and treat the hernia. This technique is also known as keyhole surgery. Patient takes about 1 to 2 weeks to get properly recover after the surgery. They have to wait atleast for 4 weeks to start exercising after the operation.

Umbilical hernia is a bulge form in abdomen. In children, it is healed on its own but if this disease occurs in adults then a surgery is needed. The surgery of Umbilical hernia is done by laparoscopic surgery and is less risky. Symptoms: Umbilical hernia is called so because these types of hernia are present near the umbilicus area or the naval area of the abdomen. When occurred in children of around 2 to 3 years, it can be seen that it heals on their own. The common symptom of this type of hernia is discomfort and severe pain. Patient suffering from umbilical hernia have severe pain and have a bulge in near the naval area. They have difficulty in lifting things. Diagnosis of Umbilical Hernia: Physical examination is done. The doctor will see if the hernia can be reduced. Further diagnosis is done with the help of X-ray and ultrasound. Treatment and Recovery: Surgeon does an incision at the naval area of the abdomen where the bulge is present. They push the tissue back inside the stomach wall. Time taken for surgery is approximately an hour. The recovery is fast as the approach used here is laparoscopic approach.

Hernias will not go away by themselves. Surgery is the only way to repair a hernia. A hernia repair returns the organ or structure to its proper place and fixes the weakened area of muscle or tissue. Having surgery is a big decision. It can be tempting to put it off, and that may be okay in some cases. Before you decide, make sure you understand the risks and benefits of your decision. Here are some things to consider and discuss with the doctor who is helping you make the decision. How Is the Hernia Affecting You? The first thing to consider is whether or not you are experiencing symptoms. Not everyone has symptoms with a hernia, especially small ones. When symptoms occur, the most common one is pain. Others can include a feeling of heaviness or fullness in the belly or groin. Whether you have symptoms or not, a hernia can also interfere with your leisure activities and your work. So you also need to recognize if you are taking time off from work or interests due to your hernia. Delaying surgery may mean you spend more time away from work and fun instead of returning to activities after recovery. If you have symptoms, especially pain, your doctor is likely to recommend surgery. But what if you don’t have symptoms or they are minimal? In this case, your doctor may recommend watchful waiting. Before you agree to watchful waiting, be sure your doctor knows the whole story. Be honest about any limitations your hernia puts on your time and activities. What Are the Risks of Waiting? 1. Hernias can become incarcerated. One potentially serious risk of not fixing a hernia is that it can become trapped outside the abdominal wall—or incarcerated. This can cut off the blood supply to the hernia and obstruct the bowel, resulting in a strangulated hernia. This requires urgent surgical repair. Not all hernias progress to this point, but it is a risk nonetheless. Avoiding an emergency situation that you can’t control is one reason to consider not delaying surgery. 2. Hernias grow. A more likely scenario is that your hernia will continue to grow and weaken with time. This is likely to increase your symptoms, including pain, and cause more changes to your lifestyle. Surgeons know that smaller hernias are easier to repair than larger hernias. Going ahead with surgery instead of delaying it can prevent your symptoms from getting worse. It can also help you avoid losing work or missing activities. 3. Hernias require surgery eventually. Even if you aren’t having symptoms, you may still want to consider having surgery sooner rather than later. Surgery for a hernia is somewhat inevitable in most cases. Research shows that most people with hernias have surgery within 10 years. Keep in mind that delaying surgery until your hernia is larger and the muscles are weaker may make surgery and recovery more difficult. 4. Your overall health may change. Your age may determine whether waiting is a risk for you. Putting off surgery for years down the road may mean you are not in as good overall health or physical shape. This will also affect your surgery and recovery. So having surgery at a younger age can be beneficial. However, if you are elderly (older than about 75 years of age), not very active, and your hernia isn’t causing problems, it may be better to not fix it. The risks of surgery may outweigh the benefit of repair. Making the Decision Surgery is never convenient and life is always busy. Being in control of when you have surgery is a huge benefit of not delaying your hernia repair. You can schedule your surgery at your convenience. And if you are a candidate for laparoscopic hernia surgery, you’ll be back to life and work sooner than in years past. Surgery should be easier on you and recovery will likely be smoother at a younger age and with a smaller hernia. Ultimately, your doctor is best able to help you decide whether watchful waiting or surgery is the best option for you.