Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

The inguinal hernia develops slowly and is often underestimated at first. The first symptoms of an inguinal hernia are confusing. How do you know if you have an inguinal hernia and what are its types? Find out how to treat a hernia.

Inguinal herniais a condition that develops slowly, and its first symptoms are often confusing. In a he althy person, regardless of the position of the body, all internal organs remain in the same places. In turn, in the case of an inguinal hernia, the internal organ or part of it is moved beyond the abdominal cavity. When the elements of the abdominal cavity, most often the intestines, bulge under the skin through non-fused fragments of the abdominal wall, we speak of the aforementioned ailment.

Types of inguinal hernia

We divide inguinal hernia into two types:

  • indirect inguinal hernia- is the most common type of inguinal hernia and the effect of abdominal wall defects. It is usually diagnosed in the first year of life, but may not be detected until adulthood. Although it is diagnosed in both sexes, men struggle with it more often.
  • direct inguinal hernia- is caused by weakening of the abdominal muscles and occurs when part of the intestine protrudes through weakened muscles. It's common in adults, but rarely in children.

We also divide inguinal hernia into two types:

  • oblique- the contents of the abdominal cavity come out through the inguinal canal, which opens under the skin near the scrotum. Oblique hernia is more often diagnosed in women.
  • straight- the contents of the abdominal cavity extends beyond its wall in the so-called Hasselbach's triangle, which is characterized by weakening of the muscles of the lower abdomen. The form of a simple hernia is a femoral hernia in which the hernial sac extends from the abdominal cavity below the inguinal ligament onto the thigh.

Symptoms of inguinal hernia

The inguinal hernia in the initial stage may not cause any symptoms. There are only temporary pains in the inguinal area, especially during exerciseexercise, coughing, or laughing. Occasionally you may feel a heavy feeling in your lower abdomen.

However, as the disease develops, a soft lump begins to be felt in the groin area, which sometimes disappears and then bulges. The absence of symptoms suggests that we are dealing with a non-incapacitated hernia, which the surgeon can drain back.

A much more dangerous one is a trapped hernia, which we are talking about when the contents of the hernia become jammed, impeding the organ's blood supply and the passage of the intestinal contents. It is accompanied by vomiting, flatulence and severe abdominal pain, which indicate an obstruction of the intestine.

When a hernia is trapped, causing an obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract or ischemia of the trapped intestinal wall, surgery is the only option.

Causes of the inguinal hernia

An inguinal hernia can appear at different stages of life. When it occurs in children under 2 years of age, we are talking aboutcongenital hernia . Its cause lies in the incomplete closure of the openings in the abdominal wall, which occurs in the womb.

Inguinal hernia most often occurs in people with weak peritoneal muscles and weakened walls of the inguinal canal. Then the effort strains the abdomen and increases the pressure in the abdominal cavity. Chronic respiratory diseases and infectious diseases of the genitourinary system are also important.

Men with prostate inflammation, women after childbirth and obese people are at risk of developing a hernia. Anatomical structure plays an important role, as it makes men more often struggle with the ailment.

Treatment of inguinal hernia

The only effective treatment for an inguinal hernia is surgery, which must be performed to avoid the risk of a hernia entrapment, which can lead to ischemia of the intestinal wall and gastrointestinal obstruction.

The surgeon decides which technique is appropriate in a given case, based on the size of the hernia. During traditional surgery, the surgeon drains the contents of the hernial sac into the abdominal cavity. He sutures muscles and ligaments to cover the defect through which the hernia penetrated.

A successful operation ensures that the inguinal hernia will never come back. In turn, the advantage of laparoscopy is shorter hospitalization time and faster recovery.

Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!

Category:

Gastrology