India’s top Laparoscopic Surgeon for Hernia Repair Dr Amita Jain shares the key Signs of Hernia Issues
A hernia occurs when an internal organ pushes against a weak spot in your muscle or tissue. There are various forms of hernia that one may experience including, inguinal, femoral, umbilical hernias, and hiatal hernias. If one has a hernia, it is important to seek medical advice quickly says Delhi’s leading general and laparoscopic surgeon for hernia Dr Amita Jain.
Many hernias may not cause immediate pain or concerns, but they can present an actual risk if left untreated. Here is way to spot a hernia and what to do next.
The most common types of hernia as mentioned above occur when weak spots in our abdominal wall rupture and let internal organs, normally part of the bowel, slip through. It seems severe but in various cases, there is minor pain or the pain only happens during strain says, Dr. Amita Jain.
How would you know if you have a hernia?
Even though a hernia may not cause pain or discomfort, it almost surely will cause a lump under your skin where the abdominal wall bears a tear. These could be difficult to spot if they happen in the inguinal canal in the groin area, as the majority of hernias do. The following methods would help give some idea if you suspect you have a hernia but cannot be relied upon for diagnosis. If you have doubts, see your doctor.
- Try to feel if there is a lump or swelling around the pubic bone
- If you spot a lump, check where it is and lie down
- Did the lump vanish or become smaller? If yes, it could be a hernia
- Do you feel uncomfortable while coughing or lifting heavy objects? It is almost surely a hernia.
Hernias are usually under-pronounced while lying down as there is little pressure on the abdominal wall from our internal organs. Even a lump that does not reduce in size while you lie down might be a hernia, or it may be something else. Both are solid reasons to speak to your doctor.
Hernias could cause sharp pain when your body is under pressure. Acts such as coughing, sneezing, and lifting might pinch the organ trapped inside the abdominal wall.
You think you might have a hernia. What to do next?
The easy answer is: call your doctor as soon as possible, however, several people wait until they experience a serious amount of pain or uneasiness, or the hernia has grown large. There are several reasons why this is a bad idea. Hernias are not going to repair themselves and usually always get worse with time. The longer you delay, the fewer surgical choices you will have to deal with it.
Spotted early, hernias could be repaired using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. It is usually, easier to recover from compared to open surgery and has fewer or no complications. Delaying treatment might mean open surgery is the only possible procedure.
There is also a risk of the hernia could become strangulated, where the blood supply to the trapped organ is cut off. This is rare, but could be life-threatening and may need emergency surgery.
Sadly, early-stage hernias are not usually, a public health priority so dealing with them rapidly might not just be up to you.
What about hernias one cannot spot?
Hiatus hernias will not form any visible signs on your body but could be uncomfortable for those impacted. They happen when a part of your stomach pushes up through an opening in the diaphragm. It could lead to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) which might cause symptoms such as heartburn.
If a hiatus hernia is a reason for your GORD it could be diagnosed using an x-ray or endoscopic investigations. Hiatus hernia is generally, treated using medication or lifestyle modifications and does not usually, require surgery.
This article has been written by Delhi’s best laparoscopic and general surgeon for hernia Dr. Amita Jain. Visit Dr. Amita Jain today if you like to avail the finest hernia-related treatment in Delhi and India.
Disclaimer: Please note this article is only meant for general information. This article nowhere promotes the content to treat, diagnose health-related issues on your own at home without any qualified doctor’s advice and guidance. Always, seek a qualified doctor’s opinion for any health-related issues that you may face or are suffering from.
Dr Amita Jain is a surgeon with highest degree of professional competence, precision and surgical craftsmanship. Performed all complicated general surgery procedures with in depth knowledge of invasive and few minimal invasive and onco surgical techniques. Underwent special training in trauma, executed various trauma-related complex life-saving neurosurgical procedures, reconstructed injured mangled limbs and performed vascular and reconstructive procedures with critical care.
Dr Amita Jain holds 28 plus years of rich experience in Trauma and General Laparoscopic Surgeries (including Gallbladder stone removal, appendix removal, hernia repair surgery, piles and fissure surgeries). She was the Professor Surgery of at the Army College of Medical Sciences and Base Hospital Delhi Cantt. In 1994 she was commissioned as Surgeon under the United Nations Mission in Congo. From 2020 to 2022, she worked with Bansals Hospital. Currently, Dr Amita Jain is the Senior Consultant, (Speciality: General and Laparoscopic Surgeon) at Artemis Lite Hospital, New Delhi