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 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.