What Men Should Know About Hernias

We've all heard of a hernia, but how do you know when you have one, and how do they even happen? Is it true that men are at higher risk of getting hernias?

Kyle Seudeal, MD, an Indianapolis general surgeon with Franciscan Health, answers common questions men have about hernias and how they are treated.

What Exactly Is A Hernia?

A hernia is an organ or tissue bulging beyond its normal confines.

“A hernia is essentially holes in the abdominal wall,” Dr. Seudeal said. “Sometimes you could be born with these, but most commonly they develop over time.”

A hernia can happen when muscle structure has a weak area, such as in the abdominal wall.The contents of the abdomen push through the wall and form a pouch.

How Do Hernias Develop?

Many people associate heavy lifting or strenuous activity with the development of a hernia, but other congenital abdominal wall defects can lead to a hernia forming. Moving a heavy object or even coughing can result in a hernia.

What Are Common Hernia Symptoms?

If the hernia is small, you may not have any symptoms related to it. In fact, you might not even know you have a hernia until you get a CAT scan or ultrasound for an unrelated concern. For people who have hernia symptoms, the most common symptoms are pain or a noticeable bulge in the abdominal wall. Many times, the pain will tend to increase with activities.

“If they're doing some heavy lifting, or let's say they're out on their feet all day or so forth, they'll notice some more discomfort with regards to the bulge,” said Dr. Seudeal. “They'll also notice, as the day progresses, that the area seems to get bigger over time. Once they're back home, they're resting, relaxing, that bulge starts to go down and sometimes goes away, and then the next day this kind of cycle repeats.”

Are Men More Prone To Hernias?

Men are more prone to hernias than women, new Australian research says. For every one woman who has the condition, there are more than seven men who have it, researchers found.

Researchers said the gender difference is due to higher rates of:

• Smoking
• Heavy exercise
• Bladder issues
• Chronic airway disorders
• Hypertension
• Heart disease.

How Are Hernias Treated?

“Unfortunately, when it comes to hernias, that hole that's formed, it's never going to go away on its own,” explained Dr. Seudeal. “Surgery is really the only cure.”

Doctors can employ different techniques for hernia repair surgery:

• Open surgery, which involves creating an incision to repair the hernia using sutures or in combination with mesh.
• Robotic or laparoscopic approaches, which offer speedier healing and less pain than open surgery.

Approaches are tailored to the patient and clinical condition.

What Is Recovery From Hernia Surgery Like?

“Most of these surgeries are same-day operations,” Dr. Seudeal said. “So, folks come in, they get the operation. If they're doing well, they get to go home. Sometimes for larger hernias or patients who have more complex medical problems, they may need to spend the night in the hospital, but usually they're home the next day.”

Are Their Complications Or Risk Factors From Untreated Hernias?

“If the hernias are small and they're not causing any symptoms, a lot of doctors will recommend keeping an eye on it,” explained Dr. Seudeal. “But things that can develop over time. If it's not addressed surgically, the hernia can get larger, folks can start to have more pain related to the hernia,” he said. “Then in the most severe case, the most worrisome case is if that hole gets big enough. Sometimes you could have part of the bowel protrude through the hole and gets stuck and get trapped. When that happens, then sometimes it could lead to a life-threatening situation that requires emergency surgery.”

How Can Men Reduce Their Risk Of Hernias?

“Much like a lot of other medical comorbidities, diet and exercise is really the key. Drinking a lot of water, eating a good amount of fiber to reduce the risk for constipation, those are all things that men can do,” Dr. Seudeal said. “Now I will say, they could do all the right things, and they could still develop a hernia. It's just the nature of the beast sometimes.”

How Often Should Men Be Getting Checked For Hernias?

While many men are checked for hernias during their annual physical examination with their primary care doctor, you should reach out to your physician if you have symptoms of a possible hernia.

“If you start to develop symptoms you feel like you may have a hernia, then by all means get ahold of your doctor sooner to get it evaluated,” said Dr. Seudeal.