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DO YOU
remember a time when your
toe was poking through a worn area at
the tip of your sock?
An inguinal hernia is similar—except
the sock is the layer of muscle across
your abdomen, and what’s poking
through it is an inner organ.
That may sound a bit unsettling. And
the fact that you often can press the
bulge back into place might make it
more so.
Inguinal hernias aren’t usually a medi-
cal emergency. Treatment can depend
on the hernia’s size, your symptoms and
even your age.
However, Joseph Talarico, MD, one
of four general surgeons with Thomp-
son Health, says hernias do not heal by
themselves and will continue to worsen
if ignored.
WHAT IS AN INGUINAL HERNIA?
Inguinal hernias occur when a section
of intestine or abdominal fat pops
out of a weak area in the abdominal
wall.
There are two types of inguinal her-
nias: direct and indirect.
• An indirect inguinal hernia is caused by
a defect in the abdominal wall that is
present at birth. It happens more often
in boys than girls. Premature infants are
also more likely to be born with this type
of hernia. Although rarely an emergency,
an indirect inguinal hernia should be
fixed with surgery as soon as possible.
• A direct inguinal hernia usually occurs
in adult men. It develops slowly after
years of continuous pressure or stress
on the abdominal wall.
SIGNS, SYMPTOMS AND RISK FACTORS
The first sign of an inguinal hernia usually
is a small bulge under the skin on one side
of the groin. Other symptoms can include
pain or pressure at the hernia site.
Risk factors for an inguinal hernia
include:
• Chronic constipation and straining dur-
ing bowel movements
• Being older than 40
• Having a family history of hernia
• Being overweight
• Lifting heavy objects
• Smoking
WHY SEE YOUR DOCTOR?
Inguinal hernias may grow larger
over time, and that can lead to more
SURGICAL CARE
serious problems.
Dr. Talarico says it’s important to see
the doctor once a hernia is symptom-
atic, with pain, tenderness or swelling,
for example.
If a hernia is ignored, one serious
condition that can occur is known as
incarceration, in which the hernia gets
trapped and can’t be pushed back
in. If an incarcerated hernia becomes
strangulated, Dr. Talarico says, “what
was an easy operation now becomes an
emergency.”
Yet hernia surgery usually is a one-day
event. Dr. Talarico says the operation is
an outpatient procedure involving three
small incisions. The patient spends ap-
proximately 35 minutes in the operating
room, under anesthesia, and is able to
return home the same day. Over-the-
counter medications and icing are then
typically used during recovery.
Sources: American Medical Association; National
Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
Treat that
hernia
before it
becomes an
emergency
Thompson Health General Surgeon Joseph Talarico, MD, specializes in hernias, single-
incision gallbladder operations and da Vinci and laparoscopic procedures. He says that
while hernias cannot heal by themselves, the operation to repair a hernia is an outpatient
procedure, and the patient returns home the same day.
THOMPSONHEALTH.COM|
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