What is a Hernia and Who Needs Surgery?

While most people in Reading, PA have heard the term “hernia” used, not

everyone is familiar with its technical definition. Hernia is actually

not referent to a medical problem as specific as one ...



While most people in Reading, PA have heard the term “hernia” used, not

everyone is familiar with its technical definition. Hernia is actually

not referent to a medical problem as specific as one might imagine, but

like the terms “laceration” or “abrasion”, it refers to a condition that

can occur in various parts of the body, but typically appears in some

areas more than others. As a general term, a hernia refers to a body

tissue that protrudes through the wall of a cavity that normally

contains it. The most common kind of hernia involves the abdominal area

of the body.

An abdominal hernia occurs when the muscles in the

abdomen exhibit a weakness or opening and the lining from the abdominal

cavity protrudes through the opening. This can be complicated when the

tissue from the abdominal lining is trapped or “incarcerated” within the

hernia, which usually results in the need for surgical intervention.

Other types of hernia do not pose any significant threat or symptoms,

and usually do not need immediate treatment.

Patients who are

suffering from a hernia may experience a range of painful symptoms from

extreme pain to mild irritation. In some cases, a hernia merely presents

as a bulge and no pain or irritation is experienced at all. In other

cases, there may be pain, but the bulging may not be evident at all. If

there is increased swelling accompanied by constant pain, the hernia

should be treated as a medical emergency and a doctor should be

consulted immediately for possible hernia surgery. Reading, PA doctors should be consulted to treat less extreme conditions.

Several

different kinds of surgeries, focusing on alternate ways of providing

reliable suturing, may be performed to treat hernias depending on the

circumstance. A typical hernia surgery in Reading, PA

involves making an incision over the area of the hernia and separating

normal tissues from those that are protruding into the affected area.

The objective is to define the margins of the weakness of hole which has

caused the hernia to occur, and then to close it through suturing or

through the use of incorporating surgical mesh.

A plastic mesh or screen material can help relieve strain on adjacent tissues once the hernia surgery

is completed and as the healing process begins. The mesh is durable and

permanent, and can be incorporated into the local structures where the

hernia appears. Over time, the use of mesh has proven to be an effective

method for repairing abdominal hernias. Laparoscopy as a form of hernia surgery

is also increasingly used in Reading, PA with great success in

repairing hernias, using smaller incisions and minimizing subsequent

injuries to the tissue on site as well as surrounding tissues.