What are Hernias?
Hernias are internal organs or internal organs that are in the wrong position (misplaced) so that they appear to protrude through the wall or cavity where these organs should be. This hernia condition can occur in any part of the organ in the body. For example, an Abdominal Hernia is a hernia that occurs around the stomach or inguinal and groin area or what is often known as abortive.
There are 2 types of hernias, namely:
- Congenital Hernia: Is a congenital hernia that has been present since birth.
- Hernia Acquired : New hernias appear as they grow older with age.
How can hernias occur?
Hernia is actually a multifactorial disease. There are 2 factors that can cause hernias, namely internal factors and external factors. Internal factors usually occur due to heredity or heredity. The risk of getting a hernia will increase if you have a lineage with hernia conditions. While external factors can occur due to lifting heavy loads, pregnancy, and others.
The main causes of hernias are:
- In children, hernias generally occur due to failure to close the cavity. This can be caused by a deficiency of vitamin A during pregnancy.
- In adults, hernias usually occur due to internal and external factors, such as smoking which can cause deterioration of collagen or decrease the amount of collagen so that it becomes weak and strenuous activities that increase pressure/burden in the stomach.
What are the symptoms of a Hernia?
- In Congenital Hernia, it occurs due to a failure to close the canal where the testicles descend. In some cases the testicles or testicles do not close, while normally the ducts are closed. The symptoms that are usually felt are pain that will be felt when there are organs in the stomach that go down or protrude up to the groin to the pubic pouch. If the hole is small, there will be no symptoms, but the more the child grows, the channel will get bigger too.
- Hernia cases that occur in older people usually occur due to congenital genetics or heredity in the form of weak supporting muscles, so that the channel descends due to large genetic pressure in the stomach. The initial symptoms will feel uncomfortable, if there is an organ that has descended, a lump will appear. The bigger the channel, the bigger the lump that appears.
The symptom to watch out for is that the lump can't go up again after it goes down. A descending organ that cannot be raised again poses a risk of being pinched. The tweezers can stop the blood supply so that you will feel pain, bloating, and cannot defecate. In the strangulated phase, the blood vessels have died due to being pinched, so the pain will be very intense and even gangrene / decay of the pinched organ occurs
When is the right time to see a doctor?
If there are signs of a hernia such as a lump, you should immediately consult a doctor as soon as possible. Because in order to get the right treatment and education early on. Don't wait until the lump hurts because that means the organ has been pinched, requiring more extensive therapy.
Tips for preventing hernias
Hernias can be prevented in the following ways:
- Quit smoking
- Reduced walking intensity from 6 hours to 4 hours. This can help reduce the risk of hernias.
- Avoid lifting heavy weights.
- If you have difficulty defecating / urinating for a long time, seek treatment immediately
If there are signs of a hernia, immediately go to the doctor and don't delay so that you get the right treatment right away. In addition, hernias should not be massaged, because it can worsen the condition of hernias so that bleeding, adhesions and even intestinal / organ leakage can occur. Hernias can also be minimized by maintaining health and exercising regularly.
Article reviewed by dr. Jacky Junaedi, Sp.B (General Surgeon at EMC Sentul Hospital).