Hernias are common health problems, and they can be either congenital (when you’re born with a defect in the abdominal wall) or acquired. They are usually located in the central part of the human body because the abdominal wall becomes weakened and cannot stand the pressure of the internal organs and viscera. People usually associate hernia with pain and lifting weight, but there’s much more to know than that. As you will see in this article, it is true that hernias become worse after increasing your abdominal pressure, but there are many other signs and symptoms to consider, and some of them can be quite alarming.
The most important symptoms to consider if you are suspecting an abdominal hernia are as follows:
1-A bulge or lump that shows through the skin
Usually, the patients with an inguinal hernia refers to a lump or swelling in the inguinal region. This is not only reported in inguinal hernia but in hernias located in the midline, as in umbilical hernia. In most cases, patients see and feel the hernia lump, which usually becomes more obvious when standing or bidding. They often feel pain, weakness, or pressure in the affected area, and the condition is worsened by lifting heavy weight and applying pressure in the abdomen.
The lump may disappear by itself when the patient lies down and return to its original position under the skin if you apply some pressure. There are different types of hernias and severities according to whether or not you can reduce it or make it disappear with pressure and whether or not it comes back immediately after applying pressure upon it.
Your doctor bases the diagnosis of abdominal hernia on a physical exam in the affected region, and it is typically performed with the patient standing in front of the doctor, especially in inguinal hernias. The doctor might need to examine your groin, belly button, and other susceptible areas and ask you to cough in order to increase pressure in your abdominal cavity and force the hernia to pop up.
2-Various degrees and types of pain
Hernias are common causes of medical emergency and urgent surgical procedures, and these cases can be extremely painful. However, in most cases, the pain is mild and vague, usually accentuated by physical exertion. The area of the lump is usually a source of discomfort that may stay for a long time depending on the position.
Keep in mind that patients with an abdominal hernia need surgery to fix this problem permanently, and it is better to have a scheduled surgery than performing the same procedure in an emergency setting. Thus, if you are experiencing the signs and symptoms in this list, talk to your doctor and follow his advice before it becomes a severe problem.
3-Discomfort when passing stool
Patients with an abdominal hernia usually feel discomfort when they are passing hard stool and making efforts that increase the abdominal pressure. In some cases, this also includes laughing, coughing, crouching, and making certain body movements. This is because, by increasing the abdominal pressure, patients also press upon the intestines and force them to bulge out of the abdominal defect.
4-Low tolerance to exercise
Most types of physical activity require an appropriate activation of the core muscles to maintain our balance, improve our strength, and maximize our performance. Even without noticing, we are always using our core muscles, and they usually create abdominal pressure. Therefore, exercise is a common trigger of hernia symptoms. Not all patients have low tolerance to exercise, and it not always an equivalent to the severity of your condition. Thus, if you have been diagnosed or suspect a hernia, don’t get too confident just because you can exercise without much problem.
5-Bloating and indigestion
Bloating is a common symptom in patients with hernia, especially after strenuous physical activity and other known triggers of pain symptoms. These symptoms may turn worse still if you take a large meal. Thus, the best thing you can do is reducing the size of your meals and resting appropriately. If the pain symptoms are severe, you may want to talk to your doctor or visit the emergency room.
6-Nausea and vomiting
In many cases, hernias may lead to abnormal intestinal traffic and in severe cases, create a partial or total obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. In these cases, one of the leading signs is nausea, and the patient may also start vomiting. Nausea due to an abdominal hernia is an alteration of the peristalsis in the gastrointestinal tract. Instead of going forwards it starts flowing backward because there is an obstruction the intestines can’t overcome.
7-Fever
There are many types of hernias and various degrees of complications, but severe pain with a sudden onset in patients with hernia along with fever is indicative of a complication called strangulated hernia. In these cases, the abdominal contents get trapped in the abdominal wall defect, and the borders become too tight, compromising blood circulation and often leading to life-threatening consequences. By itself, fever can be caused by infections or inflammatory disease, but don’t neglect this symptom when you have an excruciating pain as well, as in the case of strangled abdominal hernia.
8-Changes in skin color
Another symptom we can sometimes notice is a change in color in the area where the bulging is located. This might be caused by compromised blood circulation, and special attention should be taken when this symptom is associated with pain in patients with known hernia problems.
9-Diarrhea
Abdominal hernias can sometimes create a total or partial obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. Ironically, the first stage of intestinal obstruction may feature diarrhea because the intestines are moving more rapidly, trying to overcome the obstruction. There are partial and total obstructions of the gastrointestinal tract, and not all of them are fatal. Thus, talk to your doctor and describe your symptoms if you have a hernia and started experiencing concerning gastrointestinal symptoms.
10-Constipation
In the late stage of intestinal obstruction, there are no more feces beyond the obstruction point, and patients start feeling constipated. In cases of total obstruction, they may even stop releasing flatulence because there’s no way for any material or gas to pass the intestinal obstruction. Most of these cases are associated with nausea and vomiting, and when they are severe and maintained for a long time, the patient may start vomiting fecal material.
11-Guarding and rigid abdomen
This is a sign that is often difficult to perceive for patients. It is described in the medical literature, and doctors are trained to detect a sign called guarding, which results from a defense mechanism in the abdominal cavity when there’s an active focus of inflammation. This is a sign of intestinal obstruction and often goes along constipation and pain in patients with a complicated abdominal hernia.
12-Accelerated intestinal movements
Another sign in patients with a hernia complicated with intestinal obstruction is accelerated intestinal movements. Clinicians may even see the intestinal peristalsis through the skin as the intestines are struggling to overcome the obstruction. The movements become rapid and more aggressive than usual, and this is often accompanied by diarrhea as the fecal material beyond the obstruction level are sped up to be eliminated. All of the signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction should be carefully analyzed by a doctor before reaching to any conclusion. Thus, look for medical help and trust your healthcare team and follow their advice.
13-Heartburn
There’s a distinct type of hernia in the abdominal cavity called hiatal hernia. This is a sliding of the stomach through the esophageal opening of the diaphragm into the thoracic region. This hernia is often asymptomatic and remains undetected because it does not cause any bulge, pain, or any other symptom commonly associated with hernias. One of the leading symptoms in Hiatal hernias is heartburn, and these patients usually have acid reflux and may be diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
As you can see, abdominal hernias are not a simple thing. It’s not a simple bulge that grows bigger and hurts when you’re lifting weight. It can become a surgical emergency when it becomes strangulated or incarcerated. In these cases, a hernia may compromise the normal circulation of the blood and lead to an intestinal infarction or compromise the normal peristalsis in your intestines and lead to an obstructed bowel.
The symptoms of an abdominal hernia might improve after resting appropriately and using over-the-counter painkillers. However, it is highly likely they will become recurrent, and these measures will not be sufficient when it gets complicated. Complicated hernias are usually solved with emergency surgery, which is more dangerous than planned and scheduled surgery. Thus, if you want to prevent any adverse outcomes and was diagnosed with a hernia, talk to your doctor about your treatment choices. If he recommends surgery, do not neglect your condition and follow the advice to prevent an incarcerated or strangulated hernia.