7 Things To Consider Before Having Hernia Surgery
About hernia surgery
You might have heard about the word hernia and hernia surgery. But many of you may need to learn about it in detail before having hernia surgery treatment. In this article, we will explain what hernia surgery is. What is inguinal hernia? Surgeries recommended for hernia treatment, and who offers affordable hernia surgery in Lahore, Pakistan?
What is Hernia?
Our body is mainly composed of muscles and tissues. Fascia is when an internal fatty tissue pushes through a weak spot in a surrounding or connective tissue wall. There are different types of hernias, such as inguinal hernia, incisional hernia, femoral hernia, umbilical hernia and hiatal hernia. The most common among them all is an inguinal hernia.
What is Inguinal Hernia?
Inguinal hernias are when fatty tissue of your bowel pushes through into the groin. Also, the intestine protrudes through the abdominal wall in the groin. Moreover, according to doctors, 95% of men complain of inguinal hernia of the groin due to natural weakness in this area and associated with ageing and repeated strain on the tummy. Therefore, inguinal hernia repair is necessary for such conditions because, if not treated timely, it may cause severe problems. For its treatment, the inguinal hernia procedure is performed through a laparoscope which is the safest technique.
What is Hiatal Hernia?
A hiatal hernia happens when the upper stomach squeezes through the hiatus, and it is an opening in the diaphragm from which the oesophagus passes. A hiatus hernia is diagnosed when part of the stomach pushes up into the chest. It squeezes through the thin sheet of muscle separating the chest from the tummy called the diaphragm. Moreover, such hernias do not have any noticeable symptoms. But people usually complain of heartburn. Also, its reasons are still unknown, but doctors assume it may result from diaphragm weakness because of age or pressure on the stomach. Thus, hiatal hernia surgery suggests such symptoms.
What is an Umbilical Hernia?
The umbilical hernia is common in newborns and obese women. In this hernia, a piece of the small intestine passes through the abdominal wall near the belly button. It occurs when fatty tissue pokes through the tummy near your belly button. Its treatment comes under ventral hernia repair (abdominal hernias). According to doctors, if the opening from where the umbilical cord passes do not close properly, it causes an umbilical Hernia.
Moreover, adults also complain of this condition, and in them, it causes due to repeated strain on the tummy. Therefore, umbilical hernia treatment is a must to avoid any further complications. Consequently, it treats through umbilical hernia surgery.
Type of hernia surgery:
There are two major types of surgery for hernias:
1: Open surgery:
In open surgery, a cut is made in the area to allow the surgeon to push the lump back into the tummy.
2: Laparoscopy:
Laparoscopy knew by the name of keyhole surgery. It is less invasive but a little technical. Several minor cuts allow the surgeon to enter various special instruments into the body to repair the hernia. Therefore, it is less time-consuming, and recovery is quick, so people can go home the same day or the day after surgery. Therefore, patients prefer laparoscopic groin inguinal hernia repair because it takes less time in recovery and is also less invasive. Hence, discussing the procedure’s benefits and risks with your surgeon before hernia surgery is essential.
Seven things to consider before having hernia surgery:
Before undergoing hernia surgery, ask your surgeon these questions.
1. Do I have a hernia?
When you visit your health practitioner, ensure your symptoms are of hernia and not a muscle strain because muscle strains are similar to hernia symptoms. Thus, if it is muscle strain, the doctor would not feel any bulge during the physical examination. Often people confuse muscle strain with a hernia and opt for hernia removal or repair, which is not in their best interest; therefore, if people complain of pain when in bed or turning sides, they like to have muscle strain because hernia patients rarely have symptoms when in bed at night.
2. When to decide on hernia surgery?
It is not necessary to go for surgery immediately after visible symptoms. The surgery depends upon the condition of the hernia. If patients have slight discomfort and less pain, then inguinal hernia repair is not immediately needed. Moreover, surgeons at ALSA Pakistan advise about one in three patients to delay surgery because their hernia symptoms are not interfering with their lifestyle. So, your doctors can guide you better on what to consider before having hernia surgery.
3. Are there any non-surgical treatments for hernia?
Every patient is different from others. It is not necessary to go directly for surgery. Also, there is no non-surgical treatment for hernia. A doctor can ask you to delay surgery if you have mild symptoms. Thus, you should individualize your care. Patients with groin strain need physical therapy to improve their core imbalance. Moreover, patients diagnosed with a hernia can use a hernia belt to delay hernia repair. At the same time, other patients need immediate hernia surgery to relieve symptoms and lessen the risk of an incarcerated hernia.
4. What surgical technique to follow for hernia repair?
For Hernia repair, there are numerous techniques. But the right person to decide your treatment is your surgeon. Dr Tahir, a renowned surgeon at ALSA Pakistan, offers different laparoscopic techniques depending on the type of hernia and your medical history. Moreover, according to research, laparoscopic hernia surgery is the safest. Therefore, choose your doctor wisely, so he decides on the surgical technique according to your condition.
5. What to expect in hernia surgery recovery?
The recovery depends upon the type of hernia. The kind of hernia is crucial in knowing the recovery time. For example, some patients are sent home the same day and allowed to work the next day. In contrast, few patients are kept hospitalized for or more days and asked to take rest. Also, discuss the best and worst-case scenarios for healing with your doctor.
6. Any risks of inguinal hernia surgery?
Often patients ask this critical question. The doctors are of the view different repairs carry different risks. Therefore, asking about the risk of chronic pain and hernia recurrence is significant. Moreover, researchers are still learning about inguinal hernia and adding to the knowledge of doctors about it. But laparoscopic surgery is a safe procedure to choose from.
7. How experienced is your surgeon in hernia surgery?
Your life is meaningful, so while deciding, the surgeon always sees their experience and number of cases. According to medical literature, surgeons in better hospital and hygiene environment performs better surgery. Therefore, the doctor and hospital selection are both equally important. Thus, one of the best places for hernia repair with affordable hernia surgery prices is ALSA Pakistan, where Dr Tahir Yunus performs the repair successfully.
Conclusion:
Thus from the above discussion, we concluded that abdominal hernia surgery is necessary once diagnosed with a hernia. Laparoscopic abdominal hernia surgery is the safest option for inguinal hernia repair. Moreover, at ALSA Pakistan, doctors offer affordable hernia surgery, a blessing in disguise for patients going through the pain of a Hernia. Thus, book your appointment with American qualified laparoscopic surgeon Dr Tahir Yunus, considered the safest option for hernia treatment.