There are many different types of hernias, but most have one thing in common — they don’t go away on their own. In brief, a hernia is a condition in which an organ or tissue pushes into an area where it doesn’t belong. This occurs because of a weakening or breach in the support tissue, which typically won’t resolve on its own.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a hernia, our team here at Rockwall Surgical Specialists has the expertise and experience necessary to, quite literally, put everything back in its place. Here’s a look at the different types of hernias and how our surgical experts can help you heal properly.
Hernias can develop in many different areas. The following are the most common types of hernias.
Both men and women have inguinal canals in their groins, but an inguinal hernia is far more common in men thanks to anatomy. The male inguinal canal is where a man’s testes descend before birth, and it contains the spermatic cord and blood vessels. This canal is inherently weaker, which allows tissue to make its way through.
This type of hernia develops more often in women and occurs when tissue or part of your intestine pushes through into the groin near the top of the thigh.
An umbilical hernia occurs when fatty tissue or a section of intestine pushes through the abdominal wall near your belly button.
A hiatal hernia describes a condition in which a piece of the stomach makes its way through the diaphragm.
There are other, less common types of hernias, but these represent the majority of cases. In fact, inguinal and femoral hernias represent 75%-80% of all hernias.
Most of the hernias described above do not resolve themselves on their own, except for one notable exception — an umbilical hernia. These types of hernias often occur in newborns and most go away within the first five years of a child’s life.
For adults, a hernia is usually a condition that not only doesn’t heal on its own but can get progressively worse, which makes early intervention a good idea.
After we review your hernia, we decide upon a surgical approach. In most cases, we push the protruding tissue back into place and suture the breach. We may also place a mesh over the area for added strength.
If you have a larger hernia, we may need to reconstruct some of your muscles to prevent the condition from recurring.
To perform these relatively uncomplicated procedures, we turn to laparoscopic techniques, which means we only need to make very small incisions to do the work. This minimally invasive approach is designed to reduce both your risks and your recovery time.
The bottom line is that most adult hernias do require treatment, and we’re here to help. To get started, simply contact us to set up a consultation.
