A hernia is a catchall term for a condition in which an organ or tissue pushes through a weak spot in your muscles. While many hernias develop without symptoms, some do create problems, depending upon their size, location, and the organs involved.
At Rockwall Surgical Specialists, our team of highly trained surgeons understands the many different types of hernias that can occur and, more importantly, how to properly repair them. If you’re experiencing abdominal pain and you’d like to explore whether a hernia may be the cause, read on.
To better understand them, first take a look at the more common forms of hernias, which include:
This type of hernia is by far the most common and occurs when your intestine or bladder pushes through your abdominal wall or into your inguinal canal, which is located in your groin. Inguinal hernias are more common in men, who have a natural weakness in their inguinal canals.
With an incisional hernia, a piece of your intestine protrudes through your abdominal wall at the site of a previous surgery, where the tissue is weaker.
When the top of your stomach pushes through your diaphragm, the muscle that separates your abdomen from your chest, it’s called a hiatal hernia.
More common among women who are pregnant or obese (but not terribly common among hernias), this condition develops when fat or a part of your bowel pushes into your femoral canal through a weakened area of muscle.
This describes a condition in which there’s a protrusion through your abdomen near your navel.
As you can see by the list above, the potential list of symptoms can vary depending upon which tissue or organs are affected and where the hernia is located. The question posed in the title of this blog asks whether abdominal pain may be a sign of a hernia, and the answer is: Maybe.
Many people with hernias exhibit no symptoms, but each person reacts differently to hernias. Pain in your abdomen is more likely to develop if the hernia is located in this area. The types of hernia where abdominal pain is more apt to be a factor are hiatal hernias and incisional hernias, each of which directly involves your abdomen.
In reality, a symptom like abdominal pain can be a sign of hundreds of different problems, from digestive disorders to a heart attack. We believe that anytime you experience a symptom like abdominal pain, it’s very much worth having a medical professional take a look to see where the problem may lie.
Through a thorough examination using advanced imaging, a review of your symptoms, and testing, you can get to the bottom of your abdominal pain. If it turns out that your pain and discomfort is rooted in a hernia, we have extensive experience repairing the problem surgically.
To learn more about hernias and our minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to correct them, please contact one of our locations in Rowlett, Rockwall, Greenville, Forney, and Terrell, Texas.
