What Is A Hernia?

What is a hernia? It may be something we frequently hear about, and it’s generally understood to be a painful yet treatable condition, yet few people actually know the different types of hernias or what they all entail.

So, what exactly is a hernia?

It occurs when tissue or an organ protrudes through the wall of the cavity that it normally resides in. For example, the intestines may move through a fragile area in the intestinal wall.

Usually, hernias occur in the groin or abdomen and can cause a great amount of pain. Since there are so many different types of hernias, the risk factors vary—as well as the treatments.

Shutterstock

Are There Different Types of Hernias?

A hernia can occur in different types of ways in different parts of the body. In the immortal words of “Weird Al” Yankovic, from his 1986 song “Living With a Hernia” (a parody of the James Brown song “Living in America”): “

You may not be familiar with the common types of hernias that you could get, so just settle down, let me clue you in. There's incomplete, epigastric, bladder, strangulated, lumbar hernia, richter's hernia, obstructed, inguinal, and direct.”

The inguinal is the most common type of hernia, and they happen when the intestines shift through the intestinal wall.

They're named for the inguinal canal, an area in the groin that may naturally be a bit weak, and where they are thus prone to occurring. If left untreated, various complications can occur which could lead to life-altering consequences.

About 70% of all hernias are inguinal hernias.

What Other Types of Hernias Are There?

There are also hiatal hernias, which occur when the stomach protrudes up through the diaphragm (the muscle that separates the abdomen from the chest) into the chest cavity.

Then, there are umbilical hernias, which can happen to babies before they hit the six-month mark. They become apparent when there’s a bulge in the child’s belly button, indicating that the intestine is pushing out.

An incisional hernia happens in the abdomen after abdominal surgery.

Shutterstock

What Are the Symptoms of Hernias?

The symptoms of an inguinal hernia include localized pain and a bulge in the groin area (usually on the right side more than the left). This pain may become more noticeable during certain activities like coughing, straining, or standing up.

Most hernias are easier to feel physically during those activities.

As for a hiatal hernia, the stomach can press up through the diaphragm, leading to painful acid reflux. People suffering from a hiatal hernia may also experience chest pain and trouble swallowing.

However, some hernias do not show any symptoms at all. In these cases, hernias are diagnosed by a doctor-performed physical.

What Causes a Hernia?

Muscle strain and/or weakness is the main cause of most hernias. To be more specific, some particular common causes are improper weight lifting, coughing bouts, hits to the abdomen, and incorrect posture.

Muscle weakness that has occurred as a result of aging, a chronic cough, or previous damage from injury or surgery can put one at risk for a hernia.

Conditions that can cause strain leading to a hernia include pregnancy, constipation, and weight gain, among others.

Shutterstock