Causes and Symptoms of Hernia

Hernia is a very common disease and needs to be treated by a doctor. In hernia, a part of the body pushes itself from its place in a tissue or muscle and moves away from its original place. It most commonly takes place in the stomach and doesn’t get treated on its own. Another place where it can occur is on the skin above the thighs or the navel. According to doctors, there are 3 types of Hernia, namely Inguinal Hernia which takes place in the joints of the thighs and is very common in men, umbilical hernia or hernia of the navel and femoral hernia, which is more common in women. Let’s find out what causes hernia: 

1) Damage Caused to Stomach Muscles

Many people suffer from chronic cough and this causes a lot of damage to the muscles of the stomach. Sometimes, the stomach muscles suffer from stress when a person picks up a heavy object, which in turn increases the chances of contracting hernia.

 

2) Old Age

Old people are more prone to hernia, when compared to youngsters, as their muscles become very weak during old age. As the skin starts to sag, various parts of the body get more space to get dislocated.

 

3) Surgery

After any kind of surgery, a person becomes more prone to hernia. Women who undergo any surgery around the stomach area, can also contract hernia at any time. Women who are overweight are also more prone to contracting hernia than thin women.

 

4) Congenital Malformation

Many people suffer from a bulge around their navel from the time of their birth. This is also a kind of hernia. This kind of hernia occurs primarily  due to a congenital defect in the walls of the stomach.

 

5) Chronic Constipation

People who often suffer from constipation have to put in more effort to pass urine and due to this, the delicate muscles of the stomach can get torn. When this happens too often, it can cause hernia.

 

6) Obesity

Accumulation of excessive fat in the body makes the muscles of the stomach stretch, thereby making them weak.  Weak muscles are the main cause of hernia.

 

Symptoms of Hernia

Although the symptoms of hernia are not defined well, there are a few signs that can help you understand whether or not you have hernia: 

• A bulge around the stomach or colon area
• A bulge under the skin which appears when you stand up and if you press it, it goes inside
• Heaviness or pain in the bulge of the skin
• Discomfort while standing for long or while passing urine

If you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms, do not ignore them. See a doctor immediately. Most of the times, a surgery is the only solution to treat hernia. In maximum cases, the chances of contracting hernia after the surgery is very less but if the patient picks any heavy weights, then it can happen again. So, a person who has had a surgery to correct hernia, should be careful not to lift heavy weights and place undue stress on  the muscles of the stomach.

 

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