A hernia is a protrusion of part of an organ into an internal cavity or under the skin. They may be a consequence of a congenital anomaly or a manifestation of external factors. Purchased accounts for up to 75%. Common are inguinal, umbilical, and intervertebral. Less common are femoral and diaphragmatic.
In most cases, you can get rid of the disease through surgery. After surgery, all vital processes are restored. Surgeons recommend against spinal surgery. Conservative treatment is prescribed.
Army and hernia
Deferment from service is provided for treatment and rehabilitation in the postoperative period. Relapse of the disease becomes the basis for exemption from conscription. The Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 4, 2013 No. 565 “On approval of the regulations on military medical examination” indicates symptoms under which it is possible to avoid conscription into the army.
Not all pathologies are mentioned in the disease schedule. In case of problems with the spine, the decisive factor is the presence of concomitant diseases and general health.
Army: conscription in the presence of hernias
The physical fitness of a conscript cannot be one hundred percent ideal for any problem with the spine. The asymptomatic occurrence of intervertebral and Schmorl hernias is not a reason for exemption from military service .
Criteria for examining spinal dysfunction:
- location;
- size;
- area of loss;
- muscle mass condition;
- tendon reflex;
- spinal deformity;
- quantity.
The doctor issues a document with test results and diagnosis. If the hernia is more than 8 mm in size, has serious pathologies, progress in development, dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system, limitation of movements, a deferment is given, enlistment in the reserve or complete exemption from conscription .
Symptoms that are mild in nature, without spinal dysfunction, give the right to choose troops for service.
The presence of mild symptoms of a hernia makes it possible to choose a branch of the military for service. In the presence of multiple spinal disorders for any type of hernia, a course of treatment with repeated medical examination is recommended.
If surgical intervention is impossible, ineffective and the functions of the musculoskeletal system are impaired, the conscript is completely exempt from serving.
If surgical intervention is recommended, the conscript personally makes the decision and has the right to refuse the operation. At the same time, he receives a category that gives him the right to a deferment from conscription.
Fitness for service is assessed by a medical commission, which assigns one of five categories.
The assigned category determines whether the young man will serve, receive a deferment, receive a military ID, or be commissioned.
Types of categories, recommended troops for service, conscript eligibility
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Category | Determination of the type of troops | Determination of suitability |
"A" | Any branch of the military | Absolute suitability |
“B” subcategory: “B-1” | Limiting the selection of troops according to subcategories. -border and airborne troops; | Fit for service, subject to conscription |
"B-2" | -fleet, artillery, tank troops; | |
"B-3" | - maintenance of launchers in missile forces, armored personnel carriers and infantry vehicles, guard, anti-aircraft missile and chemical units; | |
"B-4" | - security of combat complexes | |
"IN" | Exempted from military service in peacetime | On the military ID it says o. Enlistment in the reserve, with the issuance of a military ID. |
"G" | Deferment of conscription for six months or a year | Temporarily unfit for military service. Re-passing the commission after treatment. |
"D" | Complete exemption from military service with the issuance of a military ID | The conscript is not fit for military service |
Spinal problems by fitness category:
- Category “B” and its subcategories include curvature of the spine. Osteochondrosis, with damage to less than three vertebral discs. Spondylitis, with manifestations of deformation and damage to no more than 3 vertebrae. Presence of Schmorl's hernia without pathologies.
- Category “B” is assigned for curvature of the spine with deformation , osteochondrosis and spondylitis with damage to more than 3 discs and vertebrae.
- “G” is a visible deformation of the spine, displacement of the vertebrae with pain, compression fractures of the spine, postoperative condition as a result of hernia removal, sciatica.
- Category “D” is issued for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, infectious spondylitis with acute exacerbations, at least three per year.
Before passing the military medical commission, the conscript must contact his attending physician to obtain documents confirming the diagnosis.
Pay attention to the package of necessary documents to obtain a deferment from the army. The package of documents must contain:
- conclusion of the attending physician;
- neurologist's report;
- hospital stay notes;
- results of x-ray, computer or magnetic resonance imaging.
The commission meticulously studies the submitted documents. If certificates, extracts, or x-ray results are made before the commission, they will raise doubts. Observation of the attending physician over a longer period of time is desirable.
Actions for a conscript to obtain a deferment or obtain a military ID if he has problems with the spine:
- On the day appointed by the military registration and enlistment office, you must appear and fill out an application for a medical examination. It is advisable not to delay your appearance at the military registration and enlistment office. If the plan for filling military units with conscripts is not fulfilled, the commissariat can “turn a blind eye” to the presence of diseases and pronounce a verdict “healthy”.
- When appearing for a medical examination, present the collected medical documents confirming problems with the spine.
- Agree to additional examinations proposed by the commission.
If surgical intervention is recommended, the conscript personally makes the decision and has the right to refuse the operation . At the same time, he receives a category that gives him the right to a deferment from conscription.
A medical examination is carried out by a therapist, surgeon, neurologist, psychiatrist, ophthalmologist, otolaryngologist, dentist and urologist . The general state of health is assessed.
If one of the doctors identifies abnormalities in the spinal region, this is enough to order an additional examination in a hospital. After this, the medical council of the military registration and enlistment office makes a decision on suitability for military service and assigns a category.
Video: “Do they take Schmorl into the army with a hernia?”
Pay attention to which spinal diseases can be exempted from the army:
- Find out if people with kyphosis are accepted into the army, to do this, go here
- Do you get disability if you have a herniated disc?
- Is it possible to do pull-ups with a horizontal bar if you have a herniated disc? More about this on the page
Umbilical and inguinal
In a weak spot in the abdominal cavity, part of an internal organ (small intestine or greater omentum) protrudes.
The category is determined in accordance with Article 60 of the disease schedule:
“B” - young men with small umbilical and inguinal muscles are considered fit (I degree), they are sent to serve in certain military units;
“B” - esophageal opening of the diaphragm (II degree) lead to moderate or minor dysfunction, conscripts are exempted from conscription and enlisted in the reserves;
“D” - recurrent, large in size, lead to serious impairment of body functions, young people are exempt from military duty.
Infringement leads to poor circulation. Without timely assistance, tissue necrosis begins. Such patients are indicated for urgent surgery. On the eve of conscription, young people must undergo examination. This will allow you to identify possible pathologies and take measures to prevent complications.
Types and symptoms
Lumbosacral | Stiffness and pain in the lumbar region, sudden sharp pain - lumbago, inability to bend and turn. The pain is transmitted to the gluteal region, along the leg to the foot. There may be numbness in the legs, muscle atrophy and, in advanced cases, paralysis. |
Cervical | Aching pain in the neck and shoulder girdle. Stiffness of movements in the neck area. Headache, tinnitus, dizziness. Sudden change in pressure. Numbness in the extremities of the hands. |
Chest | Pain in the shoulder blades and shoulder girdle, pressure in the chest area. Mistakenly considered cardiac. |
Lumbosacral hernia, the most common . Occurs due to a ruptured disc in the lumbar spine. A lumbar hernia leads to curvature of the spine and the development of scoliosis.
It affects the knee joint and feet when nerve endings are compressed, with consequences of lameness and impaired sensitivity of the limbs. There is limited movement due to unbearable pain that does not go away for a long time. Poor circulation in the pelvic organs leads to problems with urination.
Lumbar disc herniation is the most common
Cervical disc herniation is the next most common. Nerve fibers pass through the cervical region, which affect the functioning of the entire body. Damage to nerve endings leads to disruption of the vital functions of internal organs, muscle tissue, and poor circulation . There is a deterioration in hearing, memory, and functioning of the vestibular apparatus.
Thoracic hernia is rare . There is a strong protrusion of the intervertebral disc with damage to the nerve endings. Diagnosis can only be made at a late stage of development. Pain from a thoracic hernia is comparable to heart pain, symptoms of angina pectoris . Difficulty breathing and intercostal neuralgia occur.
Schmorl's hernia
Or “Schmorl’s node” - has a congenital pathology, less often, acquired. Asymptomatic disease. The cartilage of the spine pushes through the intervertebral disc, penetrating into the vertebral body itself . The formation of a Schmorl's node in childhood is possible when the child grows rapidly, when soft and bone tissues develop at different rates.
Schmorl's hernia is less dangerous than intervertebral hernia
A possible reason for the appearance is a directed vertical impact . Changes in the structure of the vertebra do not affect the nerve endings and do not cause pain or discomfort. Schmorl's nodule is determined using x-rays or magnetic resonance imaging. Schmorl's hernia is less dangerous than intervertebral hernia.
Passing a medical examination
Not all conscripts come to the medical examination with a package of documents. To get a deferment, you need to tell your doctor about the manifestations of the disease. With II degree hernias, pain and swelling periodically appear at the site of formation. Umbilical and inguinal pain are accompanied by discomfort when walking.
How to collect a package of documents:
- you will need an outpatient card with data on cases of exacerbation of the disease; — research results (ultrasonography, ultrasound of the spine); - an extract from the medical history, certified by a doctor.
As practice has shown, it is not easy to avoid military service with such a diagnosis. Doctors limit themselves to deferring conscription for the treatment of pathology. If you disagree with the decision, the young person has the right to go to court.
Do they take you into the army with a herniated disc?
A lumbar hernia is considered a much more serious type of hernia compared to the thoracic and cervical hernia. The human spine performs very important functions in the body, and therefore the presence of an intervertebral hernia in most cases automatically guarantees the conscript at least a deferment from serving in the Armed Forces, or even complete removal from it with the issuance of a military ID for health reasons (Category B).
Life under conditions of military duty is inevitably associated with great physical exertion, and army training can lead to irreversible consequences in the conscript’s body.
Whether someone with an intervertebral hernia is accepted into the army also depends on whether the disease is diagnosed in a timely manner. All measures should be taken to ensure that the military medical commission at the military registration and enlistment office decides that the conscript is unfit.
What is a herniated disc?
There are two types of this disease:
- Schmorl's hernia;
- Intervertebral hernia.
With a Schmorl's hernia, the intervertebral disc is pressed into the spine itself, without affecting the spinal cord. Doctors recommend massage, swimming and exercise therapy as treatment. It is believed that Schmorl's hernia is the most asymptomatic hernia of the spine and the army is not contraindicated for this disease. Without complications, the commission recognizes the conscript as fit for service with restrictions, assigning him category “B”.
If there are serious complications, then such a patient is considered unfit.
With an intervertebral hernia, pressure occurs on the spinal cord, so the pathology is more serious. Often the cause of the disease is untreated osteochondrosis.
There are 3 types of hernia, depending on the location of the pathology:
- In the cervical spine;
- In the thoracic spine;
- In the lumbar spine.
Depending on the size and location on the spinal column, a hernia can manifest itself with the following complications:
- Headaches;
- High blood pressure;
- Decreased sensitivity of the hands and fingers;
- Back pain;
- Lumbar pain;
- Decreased sensitivity in the legs.
In mild and moderate cases of intervertebral hernia, physiotherapy and massage are recommended. In severe situations, surgical removal is indicated.
The answer to the question—whether someone with a herniated disc is accepted into the army—should be based on the assigned fitness category in the conscript’s military ID.