It may also be a good idea to put off surgery if: You are taking medicines such as blood thinners that cannot be stopped for surgery. You have other health problems that make surgery dangerous. You have a skin infection that could also infect the material used to repair the hernia.
Your doctor has suggested that wearing supports trusses or corsets could help. Compare your options. Compare Option 1 Have surgery now Wait and see. Compare Option 2 Have surgery now Wait and see. Have surgery now Have surgery now You may be asleep during the operation. Or the doctor may keep you awake and simply numb the area around your groin. You don't need to stay overnight in the hospital. Surgery prevents the rare but serious problem called strangulation. It relieves any swelling or feeling of heaviness, tugging, or burning in the area of the hernia.
The hernia could come back. Risks of surgery include: A bad reaction to the anesthesia. Infection and bleeding. Nerve damage, numb skin, or a loss of blood supply to the scrotum or testicles that could cause the testicles to waste away. But these are rare. Damage to the cord that carries sperm from the testicles to the penis. This could affect your ability to father children. Damage to the artery or vein in the thigh. Damage to the intestines or bladder for certain types of hernias or if the surgery is a laparoscopic repair.
Wait and see Wait and see You will get regular checkups to watch for changes. A rare but serious problem called strangulation could occur. Personal stories about having surgery for inguinal hernia These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. What matters most to you? Reasons to have surgery now Reasons to wait. My hernia doesn't bother me at all. I am worried about being able to afford the operation. Surgery would be convenient for me at this time. This is not a good time for me to have surgery.
My other important reasons: My other important reasons:. Where are you leaning now? Having surgery now Waiting to have surgery.
What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts. True You're right. Many doctors recommend surgery because it prevents strangulation, which happens when a piece of tissue gets trapped inside the hernia and is cut off from its blood supply. False Sorry, that's wrong. I'm not sure It may help to go back and read "Get the Facts. True No, that's wrong. If your hernia is small and your symptoms don't bother you, you can delay surgery.
Some people never need surgery. False You're right. I will be travelling to an area where health care may not be available, so I want to take care of this now. I have no plans to travel to places where health care may not be available. Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps. Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision. One reason for me to have surgery for my inguinal hernia is to prevent a rare but serious problem called strangulation. I need surgery even though my hernia is small and doesn't bother me. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: E. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers. Get the facts. Your options Have surgery now to repair the inguinal hernia, even if you do not have symptoms. Take a "wait and see" approach to surgery because the hernia does not bother you much.
Key points to remember Hernias don't go away on their own. Only surgery can repair a hernia. Many people are able to delay surgery for months or even years. And some people may never need surgery for a small hernia.
If the hernia is small and you don't have any symptoms, or if the symptoms don't bother you much, you and your doctor may simply continue to watch for symptoms to occur. Many doctors recommend surgery because it prevents a rare but serious problem called strangulation. This occurs when a loop of intestine or a piece of fatty tissue is trapped inside the hernia and is cut off from its blood supply.
Talk with your doctor before wearing a corset or truss to hold in your hernia. What is an inguinal hernia? Why do hernias need to be repaired? In some cases small, painless hernias never need repair. What kinds of surgery are used for inguinal hernia? There are two types of hernia repair surgeries: Open hernia repair surgery. The hernia is repaired through a cut incision in the groin.
Open surgery is safe and effective and has been done for many years. Laparoscopic hernia repair. This is another method for hernia repair in adults. This content does not have an English version.
This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Inguinal hernia Open pop-up dialog box Close. Inguinal hernia Inguinal hernias occur when part of the membrane lining the abdominal cavity omentum or intestine protrudes through a weak spot in the abdomen — often along the inguinal canal, which carries the spermatic cord in men.
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Show references Brooks DC, et al. Classification, clinical features and diagnosis of inguinal and femoral hernias in adults. Accessed Feb. Ramsook C. Overview of inguinal hernia in children. Learn more. The most common symptom of inguinal, incisional, umbilical and ventral hernias is a painful lump or bulge underneath the skin where the hernia occurs.
This can be in the groin or in the abdomen and is caused by intestine or other soft tissue pushing through a weakness or gap in the abdominal wall. Usually, the protrusion is more pronounced when standing, especially when coughing or straining, and it may get smaller or go away when lying down or relaxing.
Hiatal hernias occur when the stomach pushes up into the chest through a small opening in the diaphragm—the muscle that separates the abdomen from the chest—and often do not cause any symptoms aside from mild heartburn. Only a trained health care provider can properly evaluate your condition.
If you suspect you have a hernia, contact your primary care provider or a specialist. Hernias become a medical emergency if the intestine—or esophagus, in the case of hiatal hernias—becomes trapped or incarcerated, cutting off its own blood supply.
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