Hernias occur when part of a body cavity pushes out of the muscle wall in which it is contained. Oftentimes it involves an intestine or abdominal fatty tissue, which are encased in a thin membrane that is sometimes prone to rupture when overstressed or affected by trauma. Many people who suffer a hernia wonder if the problem will heal on its own or if they’ll need to seek out medical attention. Today, we explain what you’ll need to do if you develop a hernia.
Understanding Hernia Types
As we’ve talked about on the blog before, hernias can develop in a lot of different areas of our bodies, but they are typically more common in the abdomen and groin region. Although hernias can be classified into a variety of subsets based on their location, there are two distinct classifications of hernias – reducible and nonreducible hernias.
- Reducible Hernias – A hernia will typically produce a noticeable bulge on your body in the area where the hernia has burst through the tissue wall. A reducible hernia is a type of bulge that recedes or flattens out when you lie down of gently put pressure on it.
- Nonreducible Hernias – Now that you know the definition of a reducible hernia, odds are you’ve reasoned that a nonreducible hernia is one that does not flatten out when you lie down and put pressure on it.
Although it is not always the case, oftentimes reducible hernias are not an immediate danger to a person’s health. Sometimes, these hernias are asymptomatic, and a person may not even realize they are dealing with a hernia. However, these types of hernias can cause pain, and left untreated they can become more painful or become nonreducible, so they shouldn’t be ignored. You should still visit a doctor to have it examined. Nonreducible hernias are often much more painful and should be viewed by a doctor or surgeon as soon as possible, as there’s a chance that it could be endangering organs or cutting off vital blood supply.
Does A Hernia Heal By Itself?
As we alluded to in the above paragraph, reducible hernias can worsen, and nonreducible hernias require medical swift medical attention, so to answer the question posed at the beginning of this blog, a hernia will not heal on its own. It may be asymptomatic and may not be problematic for some time, but the body cavity isn’t going to recede back into the muscle wall long enough for the wall to repair itself to prevent it from breaking through again.
So if you you want your hernia gone, you’re going to need to have surgery. Using a minimally invasive technique, your surgeon will create a tiny opening above the hernia. Then, using tools, the surgeon will push the expanded cavity back into the tissue wall opening and then use sutures or a mesh wall to strengthen and seal the opening, preventing the cavity from re-emerging from the weakened spot. The surgeon will then remove their tools, close the small opening on your body, and send you on your way.
For more information about hernias, or to have a specialist examine your hernia, contact Dr. Koeplin’s office today.
