What not to do with an inguinal hernia
An inguinal hernia is a pathological protrusion of the peritoneal organs through the inguinal canal. Visually, it looks like a small swelling that causes discomfort when walking. Other symptoms:
- nagging pain;
- disorders of defecation and urination;
- feeling of fullness in the abdominal cavity.
⚠ A complicated inguinal hernia or large protrusion requires surgical treatment, so it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible. With this diagnosis it is prohibited:
- lift weights;
- abuse sports;
- take a hot bath;
- apply warm compresses to the groin area.
In addition, it is forbidden to eat foods that cause constipation and gas formation . It is better to give up flour products, cabbage, milk, and grapes. Delayed bowel movements and bloating worsen your health and contribute to an increase in protrusion.
Surgical removal
The most reliable way to eliminate an inguinal hernia is considered to be hernioplasty, that is, an operation to cut out the hernial sac and suturing the hernial orifice. In surgery, there are approximately 100 types of operations to remove a hernia. They are:
1. Tension - after removing the hernial sac, the tissues are sewn together. Rarely performed.
2. Tension-free – before stitching, a prosthesis with a mesh structure is installed. It grows into the tissue and prevents the development of a new hernia.
Surgical removal of an inguinal hernia can be performed using the classical method, making an incision in the skin, but this option is used according to indications. More often the operation is performed laparoscopically. The instruments are inserted through small punctures, and manipulations are carried out under the control of video equipment. This method reduces the risk of bleeding and reduces the recovery period.
What not to do with an umbilical hernia
Umbilical hernia is a bulging of the omentum and a fragment of the small intestine in the area of the umbilical ring due to increased intra-abdominal pressure. The pathology can be congenital or acquired. It is often accompanied by discomfort, abnormal stool, and nagging pain.
For an umbilical hernia, surgery is indicated, and if there are contraindications to surgery, lifelong wearing of a corset is indicated.
⚠ In case of umbilical hernia it is prohibited:
- lift weights;
- eat foods that cause obesity;
- refuse to wear a bandage.
Ignoring medical requirements leads to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure and spasm of muscle fibers. The result may be a strangulated hernia, requiring emergency intervention.
Spare your belly
To prevent hernia, you should avoid excessive stress, primarily heavy lifting. It is important to normalize stool: constipation contributes to the appearance of hernias. If you have problems with your intestines, a diet rich in plant fiber will help. It is also necessary to carefully monitor your own weight.
And of course, we must not forget about physical education. A loose, stretched abdominal wall is one of the main causes of the formation of umbilical and inguinal hernias. To strengthen your abdominal muscles, pump your abs daily and do the “bicycle” exercise for 5-7 minutes. It is useful to do exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles - alternately relax and tense the muscles of the anus. This will help strengthen the lower abdominal wall.
What not to do if you have a hernia of the linea alba
A hernia of the linea alba is a protrusion in the central part of the peritoneum, most often occurring in women after pregnancy and childbirth. The bulge may be reducible or irreducible. It causes discomfort, and with obesity and excessive physical activity, the risk of complications increases:
- intestinal obstruction;
- inflammatory process in the abdominal cavity;
- strangulation of hernial protrusion.
For a hernia of the linea alba, surgery is indicated—plasty with one’s own or synthetic tissue, or laparoscopy. If there are no complications, the patient is prescribed elective surgical treatment.
❗ During the waiting period you cannot:
- eat foods that cause constipation;
- engage in backbreaking labor;
- physically overexert yourself.
Physiotherapy
To improve well-being and alleviate the condition, it is useful to carry out physiological procedures. They help best at the initial stage of pathology. The most effective methods:
1. Ultraviolet, laser irradiation. Promotes tissue healing after operations, prevents the penetration of pathogenic microflora into the contents of the hernia, which can lead to the formation of phlegmon.
2. Diadynamic therapy, inductometry. Normalizes intestinal motility and relieves constipation. Such procedures are prescribed for diseases of the digestive system.
3. Applications with paraffin. Often combined with ozekeritotherapy for hernias without complications.
4. Massage. Increases muscle tone, improves blood circulation. If the protrusion is large, then massage should be done with caution.
Important! Physiotherapy procedures must be prescribed by a doctor and carried out under his supervision. You must report any discomfort after the procedure!
What not to do with a postoperative hernia
Postoperative hernia is one of the common complications after surgery. It occurs due to the slow formation of the scar. With a deficiency of connective tissue, the risk of fiber divergence increases, where a fragment of the intestine and the omentum become trapped.
Recommendations for patients with incisional hernia are standard. Undesirable:
- train actively;
- lift weights;
- refuse a bandage before undergoing tummy tuck;
- try to reduce a prolapsed hernia yourself.
⚠ In no case should you ignore alarming symptoms that indicate complications - infringement or inflammation in the abdominal cavity. Fever, nausea, and vomiting are reasons for an emergency visit to a surgeon.
The most common misconceptions about hernia treatment
As soon as surgeons began using special synthetic mesh prostheses when suturing hernias, there was one less problem in medicine. Firstly, it became possible to get rid of the hernia once and for all - the likelihood that it will reoccur has decreased to 0.5-1%. Secondly, there is no need to stay in the hospital for a week - in specialized medical centers, such operations are now carried out in a hospital for one day, and already on the 3-4th day the patient can return to their normal lifestyle. And thirdly, there is virtually no pain during wound healing. However, despite the fact that the Lichtenstein operation or the “non-tension” technique (as it is called in medical parlance) has made the treatment of hernias simple and effective, there are still misconceptions associated with it among patients. To help dispel them, we asked Tatyana Anatolyevna Grishina, Candidate of Medical Sciences, surgeon at the PREOBRAZHENSKAYA CLINIC. Misconception 1. A hernia is, of course, unpleasant, but it does not pose any health hazard. Essentially, a hernia is a protrusion of internal organs through a hole in the anterior abdominal wall, formed as a result of a connective tissue defect. As long as the hernia can be reduced, the situation is not critical. But when it is pinched, the organ that comes out of the abdominal cavity finds itself, as it were, in a “trap”: the blood supply in it sharply deteriorates, which can ultimately lead to tissue necrosis and rupture of the wall. If the person is not helped in the next few hours, the case could end in death. A strangulated hernia can occur after heavy lifting, excessive exercise in the gym, severe coughing, straining and constipation. Misconception 2. To prevent a hernia, you need to do special exercises. There is no such gymnastics. The cause of a hernia is weakness of the connective tissue, and gymnastics only strengthens the muscles. Misconception 3. A bandage helps get rid of a hernia. Nothing like this. The only purpose of the bandage is to prevent the internal organs from leaving the abdominal cavity through the hernial orifice, that is, to prevent strangulation. And only surgery can get rid of a hernia. It only makes sense to use a bandage if surgical treatment is not possible. For example, if a hernia appeared during pregnancy or in a very elderly person who cannot undergo surgery for health reasons. It is important to keep in mind that wearing a bandage for a long time can injure the hernia and also provoke its enlargement. Misconception 4: Surgery cannot guarantee that the hernia will not occur again. This misconception had a right to exist as long as all patients with hernias were operated on only with “tension” methods. Namely: they simply pulled together and stitched the edges of the hernial orifice. Anyone who has tried to darn a frayed hole in the knee of jeans by pulling and sewing the edges together understands that there will be little use. In a month, another tissue will most likely tear again: not in the same place, but nearby. After all, it was initially damaged, and even more tense than usual. It is not surprising that the recurrence rate of such hernia suturing reached 14%. Today, the “non-tension” technique is considered the “gold standard” in the treatment of inguinal hernias. Instead of suturing the edges, a “patch” is applied to the hernial orifice - a special mesh implant. It not only closes the defect, but also strengthens weakened connective tissue. Thanks to the new technique, the guarantee that the hernia will not appear again has reached almost one hundred percent. An additional advantage: patients recover quickly after such an operation and are free from pain.
Misconception 5: A mesh implant can be rejected by the body. Can not. It is made of a biologically inert polymer thread, which our immune system perceives as “native”. Over time, the implant grows with connective tissue and becomes part of the body. Misconception 6. The mesh implant bothers the patient and feels like a foreign body in the abdomen. The implant is not felt at all and does not cause any pain or discomfort. And he can’t interfere either. And even the metal detector doesn't ring. Misconception 7. After suturing a hernia, a large scar remains. The length of the scar is about five centimeters, it is located in the groin area. The postoperative wound is sutured with a cosmetic suture and cosmetic threads, so that after a year the trace of the scar can be seen only if you look closely. Misconception 8. After surgery for an inguinal hernia, potency in men decreases. Surgery for an inguinal hernia does not affect potency in any way. Neither the operation itself nor the spinal anesthesia that is used for pain relief. Misconception 9. After surgery, you cannot play sports for six months. If we are talking about modern “non-tension” techniques, then two weeks after the operation the patient can return to a normal lifestyle. For example, wash the floor at home, take out the trash can, or run for the bus. After a couple of months you can already go to the gym, and after six months you can do absolutely everything... Even do weightlifting. No one is immune from the appearance of a hernia. Neither man nor woman. And this disease does not depend on age. It is quite simple to recognize: under the skin, as a rule, in the groin area, a swelling appears that varies in size, which disappears in a supine position. A hernia is not a runny nose, which, whether you treat it or not, lasts a week. If a hernia has formed, it will not disappear on its own; no amount of rubbing or bandages will help. The only way to get rid of it is to have surgery. And the sooner the patient goes to the surgeon, the higher the chance that the treatment will be successful and less traumatic.