Things You Should Know About Hernia

Hernia is common here in Singapore but there are others who are not familiar with it. It is important that you know Hernia so you can prevent it. If you notice any swelling or lump in your abdominal wall or groin, there is a chance that you have hernia.

Here are some facts behind hernia:

• Signs and symptoms: Hernias commonly develop in one’s abdomen. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the type. For example, if you have inguinal hernias, a bulge in the groin is noticeable. There’s pain. The patient may also suffer nausea, fever or vomiting.
• Causes: Hernia has many causes. If you lift weights often, you have higher risks of hernia. There are also other causes like incorrect posture, blows to the abdomen, poor nutrition, smoking and many more.
• Types of hernia: There are different types of hernia to include inguinal, femoral, umbilical, incisional, diaphragmatic and many more.

• Diagnosis: Doctors can confirm hernia through physical examination. For hernias that are painless and small, doctors will usually use the wait-and-see approach. For painful hernias, it needs surgery.
• Treatment: If doctors identified that it is hernia, immediate treatment should be considered. Here in Singapore, there are over 1,000 cases of hernia every year. This is according to the Singapore General Hospital. Immediate surgery should be performed to fix the damaged intestine.
• Complications: As mentioned earlier, hernia should be treated immediately or it may cause obstruction and other complications. Complications include obstruction of bowel and or strangling of the tissue. Other complications include inflammation, haemorrhage, irreducibility and hydrocele.

Hernia is a non-life-threatening condition but that doesn’t mean you need to ignore it.