How are hernias caused?
An abdominal wall or a groin hernia is a bulge through a normal tissue defect. These types of defects can be pushed back in, but then recur with standing, exercise, or straining, and can sometimes cause pain. Hernia defects don’t go away by themselves. Once the tissue defects occur it needs to be surgically repaired.
Are hernias painful?
Hernias can be painful depending on the size of the defect and the amount of tissue protruding through the defect. Typically, hernias are intermittently painful with exercise or heavy lifting. Hernias don’t have to be an actual bulge, they can also just cause pain. The pain typically caused by a groin or abdominal hernia is located at the defect site, it does not typically cause back pain.
Where are hernias located?
The most common types of hernia are inguinal (inner groin), incisional (resulting from an incision), femoral (outer groin), umbilical (belly button), and hiatal (upper stomach). In an inguinal hernia, the intestine or the bladder protrudes through the abdominal wall or into the inguinal canal in the groin. This will cause pain in the groin on whatever side the hernia has occurred. Other common hernias are within the abdominal wall, which will cause abdominal pain when symptomatic.
When is hernia surgery necessary?
Hernias can be repaired anytime once they occur. Most people don’t seek surgical repair until the pain is unbearable or the hernia has increased in size. Once the hernia increases in size, it can make the surgical repair more difficult. This is why it’s important to contact us as soon as possible.
What type of surgery is best for a hernia?
There are several ways to have hernias repaired- open, minimally invasive surgery with a camera and small incisions (laparoscopic), or robotic surgery (using a computer-based minimally invasive surgery with a camera and small incisions). Robotic surgery is one of the most innovative, new surgical techniques on the rise, making it one of the most sought-after surgical techniques today. Arizona Premier Surgery performs all hernia surgery techniques and after your consultation, our surgeons will determine what procedure is best.