Options are available for patients dealing with hernias
Most people associate the word “hernia” with exertion or heavy lifting, but they don’t know what a hernia is or how this condition is treated.
In the simplest of terms, a hernia occurs when internal tissue bulges through a tear or weakness in surrounding muscle tissue, frequently in the abdominal walls.
The most common type of hernia is called an inguinal hernia, which occurs when the intestines or fatty tissue push through the abdominal muscles or the inguinal canal into the groin area.
Hernias are usually identified by a visible bulge under the skin. In the early stages, patients typically don’t feel much pain or discomfort. As the hernia gets larger, the pain might worsen and can prevent patients from comfortably participating in physical activity.
Hernias don’t go away by themselves and it’s important to get the hernia repaired before the symptoms become too painful or it starts to cause other health problems.
Some people are born with a weakness in their abdominal wall muscles that may lead to a more obvious hernia later in life. Others can develop (acquired) hernias from a combination of weakening abdominal muscles and strain due to the pressure of coughing, vomiting or heavy lifting.
About five per cent of North Americans will have a hernia in their lifetime, says Dr. Mark Meloche, an associate professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of British Columbia, and a surgeon at False Creek Healthcare in Vancouver.
“Men are seven times more likely to have an inguinal hernia than women,” says Meloche, “and once you have an inguinal hernia, there is a 15 per cent chance of developing one on the other side of your groin.”
Anyone can develop a hernia, but they are generally more common in people over age 35 and those who are obese or overweight. Family history plays a part, as do risk factors such as smoking, jobs that require a lot of heavy lifting, and sports that put a lot of stress on the abdomen.
Thankfully, hernias are fairly easy to fix with modern surgical techniques. Surgical centres such as False Creek Healthcare offer both open and laparoscopic hernia repair procedures.
Open surgery involves making an incision to the groin area and repairing the tear or weakness in the muscles directly.
With laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes an incision near the belly button, inflates the abdomen with gas, and uses a thin tube fitted with a tiny camera to guide the repair. “In the laparoscopic procedure, we put a barrier in front of or inside the defect,” says Meloche.
Thanks to advancements in surgical procedures, hernia surgery is low-risk, meaning that it can be safely performed outside of a traditional hospital. “Many hernia operations can be performed under local anaesthetic,” says Meloche. “The whole stay in the clinic is about three hours.”
Most people can return to work after about two weeks and resume light physical activities after three weeks.
Patients who choose False Creek Healthcare can typically undergo surgery one to three weeks after their consultation. This expedited service enables people to address painful hernias and get back to their daily routines.