Top Health Tips on Living with a Hernia

Non-Surgical way to get relief from Hernia

I am Dr Mukul Khaitan, senior consultant at Institute of minimal access metabolic and bariatric surgery Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. I am having a vast experience of laparoscopic and bariatric surgery since last 20 years. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is a prestigious Institute and is serving the society in the field of laparoscopic and bariatric surgery since last 3 or 4 decades. Today I am going to talk about hernia. I will be talking about hernia in terms of like whether a patient or you know that you are suffering from hernia? How hernia can be diagnosed? What are the signs and symptoms and then what is the treatment option?

Hernia is the protrusion or I will say a break in abdominal wall cavity. It is similar to a wear and tear in your tire. So your tube is coming out of the tire or maybe a hole in your cloth. When we repair a tire with the patch of tire or maybe when we repair a cloth with a piece of cloth, similarly hernia is to be repaired and it needs a surgical intervention. Now how to know that you are suffering from hernia or not. Any patient who is having a sudden onset pain in the abdominal wall or sudden onset appearance of a swelling in the abdominal wall or in the groin should consult a surgeon to look further the developing hernia. Hernia occur anywhere in your abdominal wall or groin starting from just below the chest wall upto near your junction of abdominal wall and thigh and can be divided into depending upon their sites. Like epigastric hernia occurs in upper abdomen. Umbilical hernia occurs near the umbilicus.

Inguinal hernia occurs in the groin area and there is other called the incisional hernia occurs at the site of previous surgery. Now once you know you are suffering from the hernia what complications you should expect from if you are not seeking a medical advice for your hernia. If the hernia slowly grows in size the contents of the abdominal wall like your intestines, your fat inside the abdominal wall or maybe abdominal organs can come out through that hernial defect and can get and trapped leading to surgical emergency. Hernia as I said earlier requires a surgical treatment. In the era maybe 4 or 5 decades prove that heading are required I repair in terms of open surgery. Now last two decades we have a vast experience and we are running a Indian hernia Academy over there at our Institute at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

ENT doctors from all over the India are coming to learn the laparoscopic hernia repair skills from us acme Institute of minimal access metabolism and bariatric surgery. Hernia requires a laparoscopic repair in terms of either it is abdominal wall hernia or groin hernia. We are having a vast experience off recurrent or we will say re-recurrent hernias. Re recurrent hernias means the hernia which have recovered after a open surgical repair over after laparoscopic surgical repair. In those cases we have a very vast experience and we do almost 30 to 40 such hernia as a month and we are getting referals all over the country. So in the last I'll say if you are having a sudden onset of pain in your abdomen or a sudden onset swelling which you are not able to understand the cause you should see the surgical advise and come to our clinic for getting a surgical advice.

If you want to consult me for your hernia or any such problems you can contact me either on my website or you can connect me on lybrate or you can visit my OPD at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. It F42, 1st floor. You can come and meet me over there.

Hernia or what in Ayurveda is known as Antra Vriddhi , is a condition that takes place when an internal organ in your abdomen gets displaced and protrudes outward, giving rise to swelling in the abdominal region.

Even though you can develop a hernia anywhere in your body, it mostly occurs in the abdominal region and can affect both men and women at any age.

The causes of hernia:

Even though hernia can be a hereditary condition, certain factors can contribute in causing it. These are:

1. Persistent coughing

2. Putting excess pressure while passing faeces

3. Straining your abdominal muscles by exercising or lifting objects that are heavy

4. Obesity

5. Build-up of fluid in your abdominal cavity

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms that indicate you have hernia include a visible, hard protrusion, development of soft lumps and pain. However, some people may not experience any symptoms at all.

Hernia can be of many types, depending on the part of the body affected and even varying on the basis of your gender. In worst cases, you may require surgery but Ayurveda can cure your hernia completely without the need of you going through a surgical process.

How does Ayurveda help?

Ayurveda helps in curing your hernia by focussing on your diet. If you follow these rules, you can cure yourself of hernia completely.

1. Reduce the amount of food you eat in a day and take small meals frequently instead of the standard three meals

2. While eating, make sure you eat your food slowly

3. Drink lots of water and other fluids but do not consume aerated drinks

4. It is advised not to take water with your meals, but only to drink a glass of water an hour after and half an hour before each meal. By doing this, you reduce your chances of getting heartburn and aid in the proper functioning of the digestive system.

5. Eating any form of raw food such as uncooked meat and vegetables is strictly forbidden along with processed foods such as bread, cakes, cookies etc. However, when eating cooked food, make sure it's lightly cooked and not overcooked.

6. Having a glass of juice freshly squeezed from vegetables or fruits is recommended, especially carrot juice as it is enriched with calcium and vitamin A that help in the healing process

7. Make sure that whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits are a part of your diet

8. Lastly, go for a walk after each meal and do not sleep after eating, especially if you've had a heavy meal.

Hernia or what in Ayurveda is known as Antra Vriddhi, is a condition that takes place when an internal organ in your abdomen gets displaced and protrudes outward, giving rise to swelling in the abdominal region.
Even though you can develop a hernia anywhere in your body, it mostly occurs in the abdominal region and can affect both men and women at any age.

The causes of hernia are:
Even though hernia can be a hereditary condition, certain factors can contribute in causing it. These are:

Persistent coughing
Putting excess pressure while passing faeces
Straining your abdominal muscles by exercising or lifting objects that are heavy
Obesity
Buildup of fluid in your abdominal cavity
Symptoms:
Some of the symptoms that indicate you have hernia include a visible, hard protrusion, development of soft lumps and pain. However, some people may not experience any symptoms at all. Hernia can be of many types, depending on the part of the body affected and even varying on the basis of your gender. In worst cases, you may require surgery but Ayurveda can cure your hernia completely without the need of you going through a surgical process.

How does Ayurveda help?
Ayurveda helps in curing your hernia by focussing on your diet. If you follow these rules, you can cure yourself of hernia completely.



Reduce the amount of food you eat in a day and take small meals frequently instead of the standard three meals.
While eating, make sure you eat your food slowly.
Drink lots of water and other fluids, but do not consume aerated drinks
It is advised not to take water with your meals, but only to drink a glass of water an hour after and half an hour before each meal. By doing this, you reduce your chances of getting heartburn and aid in the proper functioning of the digestive system.
Eating any form of raw food, such as uncooked meat and vegetables is strictly forbidden along with processed foods such as bread, cakes, cookies etc. However, when eating cooked food, make sure it's lightly cooked and not overcooked.
Having a glass of juice freshly squeezed from vegetables or fruits is recommended, especially carrot juice as it is enriched with calcium and vitamin A that help in the healing process.
Make sure that whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits are a part of your diet.
Lastly, go for a walk after each meal and do not sleep after eating, especially if you've had a heavy meal.

When an organ residing in a cavity such as the abdomen tries to push through the muscular layer it resides, it is called as hernia.

Though said to be genetic, hernias can be caused by things such as improper heavy lifting, incorrect posture, or chronic constipation and as a result of surgical complication or injury. Factors like obesity, pregnancy, smoking, chronic lung disease aggravate the severity of the hernia. It is believed that about 27% of all males and 3% of females can have a hernia during their lifetime.

Types of hernias:

Inguinal hernia - The groin is the most common area, where the abdomen pushes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal wall, causing a protrusion into the inguinal canal. More common in men than women.

Hiatal hernia - The abdomen has the diaphragm separating it from the thoracic cavity in the upper border. When it pushes through the diaphragm, a hernia is caused and there is almost always associated food reflux in these cases. Though the most common cause is associated old age, due to muscle weakness, there also are cases of congenital hiatal hernias.

Umbilical hernia - The abdomen finds a weak layer along its length and protrudes through the skin on the stomach. Most commonly seen in babies around the bellybutton, it gradually corrects itself on its own. Quiet rare in adults, seen during pregnancy and in chronic obese people.

Incisional - These are post-surgical, and happen when the organ protrudes through the weakened wall due to surgery. The abdomen is again the most common area and the hernia can happen either onto the external surface or internally, when they are called ventral hernias.

These are the most frequent types, though hernia affects other organs like the spine, brain, appendix, etc.

Treatment

This includes a combination of constant monitoring followed by a decision to do surgical treatment. Hiatal hernias and umbilical hernias can be monitored for a while before deciding on surgery. Inguinal hernias may require surgery earlier in the stage. Post-surgery, a mesh is placed to hold back the tissue in its corrected place. The umbilical hernia in children could be self-limiting. If it does not get auto-corrected in the first year of life, that also would qualify for a surgical treatment.

Dependent on each patient, hernias need to be managed under medical supervision.

A hernia occurs because of an internal weakening of the abdominal layer, resulting in tearing. The inner most layer of the abdomen forms a sac and pushes the weakening area. This results in the abdomen tissue being slipped into the sac, causing pain and other health problems. It can occur to both men and women. Apart from natural weakness of the abdomen, a hernia can get triggered from heavy weight lifting, constant coughing, gaining weight and from irregular bowel movement. 80percent of hernia cases originate near the groin.

What are the symptoms?
Some of the common symptoms of a hernia include:

Constipation
Nausea
Feeling of fullness even without eating a thing
Sharp pain while lifting weight
Burning sensation
Dull ache near the groin area
Bulge near the groin area
How is a laparoscopic hernia performed?
This mode of surgery uses a telescope-like instrument known as the laparoscope. With the help of a small incision, the laparoscope is inserted at the belly button. Since the procedure is performed withanaesthesia, it isessential for a doctor to do a routine medical check-up that evaluates the general health of the patient, past medical history, EKG, blood work etc.

Usually, the patient doesn t feel a thing while the surgery is performed. A video camera is connected to the instrument to get a detailed inside view of a hernia and the area that needs to be repaired. Before this, the abdomen is inflated with the help of carbon monoxide. A mesh is placed inside the abdomen to fix the defects of the abdominal wall and strengthen the weakened tissue of the abdomen. Once the procedure is done, the incisions that are made in the abdomen is closed with the help of surgical tapes. The mark of incision disappears within a month.

Benefits of Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery
The benefits of laparoscopic surgery are quite evident.

A lot of tiny incisions are made rather than making a large incision in the abdominal area. This ensures speedy recovery and a short stay at the hospital.
The pain is significantly less compared to the conventional surgery.
The cost of a laparoscopic surgery is lesser
Lastly, a speedy recovery can ensure that a person can return to work within a few days after the surgery is performed.
What to expect after the surgery
Doctors often suggest a week of complete rest after the surgery. The healing time can vary from person to person. A surgeon typically prescribes antibiotics and pain medications to cope up with the wound and pain. It must be ensured that these medicines are taken on time. A revisit to the surgeon might be required after a couple of weeks to assess the recovery.

Hernia or what in Ayurveda is known as Antra Vriddhi, is a condition that takes place when an internal organ in your abdomen gets displaced and protrudes outward, giving rise to swelling in the abdominal region.

Even though you can develop a hernia anywhere in your body, it mostly occurs in the abdominal region and can affect both men and women at any age.

The causes of hernia:

Even though hernia can be a hereditary condition, certain factors can contribute to causing it. These are:

1. Persistent coughing
2. Putting excess pressure while passing faeces
3. Straining your abdominal muscles by exercising or lifting objects that are heavy
4. Obesity
5. Build-up of fluid in your abdominal cavity

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms that indicate you have hernia include a visible, hard protrusion, development of soft lumps and pain. However, some people may not experience any symptoms at all.

Hernia can be of many types, depending on the part of the body affected and even varying on the basis of your gender. In worst cases, you may require surgery but Ayurveda can cure your hernia completely without the need of you going through a surgical process.

How does Ayurveda help?

Ayurveda helps in curing your hernia by focussing on your diet. If you follow these rules, you can cure yourself of hernia completely.

1. Reduce the amount of food you eat in a day and take small meals frequently instead of the standard three meals
2. While eating, make sure you eat your food slowly
3. Drink lots of water and other fluids but do not consume aerated drinks
4. It is advised not to take water with your meals, but only to drink a glass of water an hour after and half an hour before each meal. By doing this, you reduce your chances of getting heartburn and aid in the proper functioning of the digestive system.
5. Eating any form of raw food such as uncooked meat and vegetables is strictly forbidden along with processed foods such as bread, cakes, cookies etc. However, when eating cooked food, make sure it's lightly cooked and not overcooked.
6. Having a glass of juice freshly squeezed from vegetables or fruits is recommended, especially carrot juice as it is enriched with calcium and vitamin A that help in the healing process
7. Make sure that whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits are a part of your diet
8. Lastly, go for a walk after each meal and do not sleep after eating, especially if you've had a heavy meal.

Hernia or what in Ayurveda is known as Antra Vriddhi , is a condition that takes place when an internal organ in your abdomen gets displaced and protrudes outward, giving rise to swelling in the abdominal region.

Even though you can develop a hernia anywhere in your body, it mostly occurs in the abdominal region and can affect both men and women at any age.

The causes of hernia:

Even though hernia can be a hereditary condition, certain factors can contribute in causing it. These are:

1. Persistent coughing
2. Putting excess pressure while passing faeces
3. Straining your abdominal muscles by exercising or lifting objects that are heavy
4. Obesity
5. Build-up of fluid in your abdominal cavity

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms that indicate you have hernia include a visible, hard protrusion, development of soft lumps and pain. However, some people may not experience any symptoms at all.

Hernia can be of many types, depending on the part of the body affected and even varying on the basis of your gender. In worst cases, you may require surgery but Ayurveda can cure your hernia completely without the need of you going through a surgical process.

How does Ayurveda help?

Ayurveda helps in curing your hernia by focussing on your diet. If you follow these rules, you can cure yourself of hernia completely.

1. Reduce the amount of food you eat in a day and take small meals frequently instead of the standard three meals

2. While eating, make sure you eat your food slowly

3. Drink lots of water and other fluids but do not consume aerated drinks

4. It is advised not to take water with your meals, but only to drink a glass of water an hour after and half an hour before each meal. By doing this, you reduce your chances of getting heartburn and aid in the proper functioning of the digestive system.

5. Eating any form of raw food such as uncooked meat and vegetables is strictly forbidden along with processed foods such as bread, cakes, cookies etc. However, when eating cooked food, make sure it's lightly cooked and not overcooked.

6. Having a glass of juice freshly squeezed from vegetables or fruits is recommended, especially carrot juice as it is enriched with calcium and vitamin A that help in the healing process

7. Make sure that whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits are a part of your diet

8. Lastly, go for a walk after each meal and do not sleep after eating, especially if you've had a heavy meal.

Hernia or what in Ayurveda is known as Antra Vriddhi, is a condition that takes place when an internal organ in your abdomen gets displaced and protrudes outward, giving rise to swelling in the abdominal region.
Even though you can develop a hernia anywhere in your body, it mostly occurs in the abdominal region and can affect both men and women at any age.

The causes of hernia are:
Even though hernia can be a hereditary condition, certain factors can contribute in causing it. These are:

Persistent coughing
Putting excess pressure while passing faeces
Straining your abdominal muscles by exercising or lifting objects that are heavy
Obesity
Buildup of fluid in your abdominal cavity
Symptoms:
Some of the symptoms that indicate you have hernia include a visible, hard protrusion, development of soft lumps and pain. However, some people may not experience any symptoms at all. Hernia can be of many types, depending on the part of the body affected and even varying on the basis of your gender. In worst cases, you may require surgery but Ayurveda can cure your hernia completely without the need of you going through a surgical process.

How does Ayurveda help?
Ayurveda helps in curing your hernia by focussing on your diet. If you follow these rules, you can cure yourself of hernia completely.



Reduce the amount of food you eat in a day and take small meals frequently instead of the standard three meals.
While eating, make sure you eat your food slowly.
Drink lots of water and other fluids, but do not consume aerated drinks
It is advised not to take water with your meals, but only to drink a glass of water an hour after and half an hour before each meal. By doing this, you reduce your chances of getting heartburn and aid in the proper functioning of the digestive system.
Eating any form of raw food, such as uncooked meat and vegetables is strictly forbidden along with processed foods such as bread, cakes, cookies etc. However, when eating cooked food, make sure it's lightly cooked and not overcooked.
Having a glass of juice freshly squeezed from vegetables or fruits is recommended, especially carrot juice as it is enriched with calcium and vitamin A that help in the healing process.
Make sure that whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits are a part of your diet.
Lastly, go for a walk after each meal and do not sleep after eating, especially if you've had a heavy meal.

Hernia or what in Ayurveda is known as Antra Vriddhi , is a condition that takes place when an internal organ in your abdomen gets displaced and protrudes outward, giving rise to swelling in the abdominal region.

Even though you can develop a hernia anywhere in your body, it mostly occurs in the abdominal region and can affect both men and women at any age.

The causes of hernia:

Even though hernia can be a hereditary condition, certain factors can contribute in causing it. These are:

1. Persistent coughing
2. Putting excess pressure while passing faeces
3. Straining your abdominal muscles by exercising or lifting objects that are heavy
4. Obesity
5. Build-up of fluid in your abdominal cavity

Symptoms
Some of the symptoms that indicate you have hernia include a visible, hard protrusion, development of soft lumps and pain. However, some people may not experience any symptoms at all.

Hernia can be of many types, depending on the part of the body affected and even varying on the basis of your gender. In worst cases, you may require surgery but Ayurveda can cure your hernia completely without the need of you going through a surgical process.

How does Ayurveda help?

Ayurveda helps in curing your hernia by focussing on your diet. If you follow these rules, you can cure yourself of hernia completely.

1. Reduce the amount of food you eat in a day and take small meals frequently instead of the standard three meals
2. While eating, make sure you eat your food slowly
3. Drink lots of water and other fluids but do not consume aerated drinks
4. It is advised not to take water with your meals, but only to drink a glass of water an hour after and half an hour before each meal. By doing this, you reduce your chances of getting heartburn and aid in the proper functioning of the digestive system.
5. Eating any form of raw food such as uncooked meat and vegetables is strictly forbidden along with processed foods such as bread, cakes, cookies etc. However, when eating cooked food, make sure it's lightly cooked and not overcooked.
6. Having a glass of juice freshly squeezed from vegetables or fruits is recommended, especially carrot juice as it is enriched with calcium and vitamin A that help in the healing process
7. Make sure that whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits are a part of your diet
8. Lastly, go for a walk after each meal and do not sleep after eating, especially if you've had a heavy meal.

A Hernia may be defined as the protrusion of an organ into an adjacent connective tissue or muscle. The protrusion usually occurs through a tear or a weakened area in the muscle (Fascia). Hernia can be an Inguinal Hernia, Umbilical Hernia, Hiatal Hernia or Femoral Hernia. It can also originate from an incision (Incisional Hernia).

The Inguinal Hernia is commonly observed in males. Here, the intestine squeezes through a tear in the abdominal wall into the groin (Inguinal canal). At times, the small intestine bulges through the abdominal wall (weak spot) near the belly button, which results in Umbilical Hernia. In Hiatal Hernia, the upper part of the stomach passes into the chest through the diaphragm, and of all the hernia types, the Inguinal Hernia is the most common.

Severe strain and muscle tear or weakness can result in Hernia. Obesity, chronic constipation, chronic coughing and sneezing, ageing, damage caused by injury, medical conditions like Cystic Fibrosis, contribute to increased incidences of Hernia. In case of Hernia, the affected area tends to protrude or bulge out. If left untreated; Hernia can prove to be detrimental. One needs to consult a physician for proper diagnosis and treatment. Physical examination can help in the diagnosis of Inguinal Hernia. An ultrasound is needed to diagnose Umbilical Hernia. A Barium X -ray or endoscopy can be of great help in the diagnosis of Hiatal Hernia.

The severity of the Hernia depends upon its size. In case the Hernia is rapidly increasing in size, a surgery is needed for the repair. The surgery performed can be open or laparoscopic. In open surgery, Hernia is identified through an incision. Once located, the Hernia is removed from the adjacent tissues. In laparoscopic repair, small incisions are made in the affected region. Through these incisions, specialized instruments are inserted. It is through these instruments that the surgeon visualizes and performs the surgery.

In such repairs, a mesh, held in place by sutures is used as a scaffold. This facilitates the growth of new tissues in the affected person. This technique significantly lowers the chance of a recurrence. Certain factors must be well addressed, before performing a Hernia operation:

* Hernia operations, laparoscopic in particular, should be performed by experienced surgeons. Inexperienced surgeons will do you more harm than good.
* Laparoscopic Hernia operation should be avoided in case a patient has adhesions from previous surgery.
* Extreme care should be taken while performing a Hernia operation in infants and children.
* In some cases, Hernia surgery might affect or injure the vas deferens in men. This in turn can affect fertility in men.