Our body has different organs to perform different tasks. They all are placed in their specific locations inside a cavity. In case of a hernia, the organ comes out of the cavity and starts pushing the muscular wall which can be seen as a protrusion. Ventral hernia is observed as a bulge through the weak abdominal muscles, or an opening in the abdominal wall. The bulge may be due to fat, tissue, or any organ like the intestine. Here, we will discuss about the types, causes, symptoms and treatments for this type of hernia.
Types of Ventral Hernia
Ventral hernia occurs in the abdominal area. There are basically three types of ventral hernia, based on their occurrence in the abdominal region. They are
* Incisional Hernia: It is one of the most common among the three types, hence ventral hernia is also sometimes referred as incisional hernia. It is found at the place where the person has undergone a surgical cut.
* Spigelian Hernia: It is observed on either side of the abdomen.
* Epigastric Hernia: It is observed above the bellybutton.
Triggers of Ventral Hernia
There are many reasons which may trigger ventral hernia. Following are some of the most common causes.
* Old surgeries are one of the most common causes of ventral hernia, as the abdominal wall gets weak and organs are able to push it easily. It can also be observed if the surgical wound gets infected, or if there are any blood clots.
* Obesity can trigger ventral hernia as the fat makes it difficult to heal and muscles may get ruptured or pushed easily.
* Hard or intense coughing may result in the tearing of stitches which may further lead to the occurrence of hernia.
* Lack of proper nutrition and minerals may result in the improper blood flow to the area of surgery. This may prolong the time taken to heal the wound, and can cause hernia.
* Age can also be a cause of hernia, as an old person's body takes more time to heal surgical wounds as compared to young or middle aged person.
* Lifting heavy weights may put strain on your abdomen and may result in the tearing of the muscles at the surgical site.
* Straining bowel at the time of constipation, or straining while urinating may also cause hernia.
Clinical Signs of Ventral Hernia
Ventral hernia symptoms like bulge and pain can sometimes be mistake as tumors which may create panic. Hence, if you observe such symptoms then get it diagnosed immediately. Following are some of the most commonly noticeable symptoms of ventral hernia.
* One of the most common symptoms is pain. The patient may experience pain which can get severe if the organ gets trapped, and is unable to go back to its original cavity. Pain may also occur if the blood circulation in the trapped part stops, which may result in the death of organ tissues.
* The organ comes out of the cavity, and is seen as a projected part over the abdominal wall.
* Vomiting and nausea are very commonly observed in hernia patients.
* The bulge can be seen more prominently at the time of laughing, straining, coughing and lifting something heavy.
* Due to the obstruction in passing of the fecal material down to the rectum the patient may experience constipation.
Ventral Hernia Diagnostic Procedures
If you observe ventral hernia symptoms, then it is very important to get it diagnosed. Following are some of the diagnostic procedures which may be used in confirming ventral hernia.
* An ultrasound test of the abdominal region may be conducted which may help to get a clear picture of the hernia.
* A CT scan may be used to confirm the presence of hernia. This is also very helpful in finding out the size of the hernia and what is causing it.
* Laparoscopy can also be used to find out the presence of ventral hernia. In this procedure the doctor will insert a small camera inside your stomach.
Treatment for Ventral Hernia
Once the hernia is diagnosed and confirmed, the doctor will advice you to undergo treatment. Hernia is mostly repaired or treated with the help of surgery. Two types of surgeries can be done in treating hernia: open surgery and laparoscopic surgery. In open surgery, the doctor will make cuts and open your abdomen where the hernia is located, will fix it and will stitch the skin back to its place. Where as in the laparoscopic surgery the doctor will use minimum invasive techniques and insert camera from one hole and a tool from the other one and will fix your hernia.
Proper guidelines and after care has to be followed for hernia treatment surgeries. The patient should follow all the instructions of the doctor. It is advisable to include fibrous food in the diet, drink lots of water and avoid stressful work to get rid of hernia problems.
Types of Ventral Hernia
Ventral hernia occurs in the abdominal area. There are basically three types of ventral hernia, based on their occurrence in the abdominal region. They are
* Incisional Hernia: It is one of the most common among the three types, hence ventral hernia is also sometimes referred as incisional hernia. It is found at the place where the person has undergone a surgical cut.
* Spigelian Hernia: It is observed on either side of the abdomen.
* Epigastric Hernia: It is observed above the bellybutton.
Triggers of Ventral Hernia
There are many reasons which may trigger ventral hernia. Following are some of the most common causes.
* Old surgeries are one of the most common causes of ventral hernia, as the abdominal wall gets weak and organs are able to push it easily. It can also be observed if the surgical wound gets infected, or if there are any blood clots.
* Obesity can trigger ventral hernia as the fat makes it difficult to heal and muscles may get ruptured or pushed easily.
* Hard or intense coughing may result in the tearing of stitches which may further lead to the occurrence of hernia.
* Lack of proper nutrition and minerals may result in the improper blood flow to the area of surgery. This may prolong the time taken to heal the wound, and can cause hernia.
* Age can also be a cause of hernia, as an old person's body takes more time to heal surgical wounds as compared to young or middle aged person.
* Lifting heavy weights may put strain on your abdomen and may result in the tearing of the muscles at the surgical site.
* Straining bowel at the time of constipation, or straining while urinating may also cause hernia.
Clinical Signs of Ventral Hernia
Ventral hernia symptoms like bulge and pain can sometimes be mistake as tumors which may create panic. Hence, if you observe such symptoms then get it diagnosed immediately. Following are some of the most commonly noticeable symptoms of ventral hernia.
* One of the most common symptoms is pain. The patient may experience pain which can get severe if the organ gets trapped, and is unable to go back to its original cavity. Pain may also occur if the blood circulation in the trapped part stops, which may result in the death of organ tissues.
* The organ comes out of the cavity, and is seen as a projected part over the abdominal wall.
* Vomiting and nausea are very commonly observed in hernia patients.
* The bulge can be seen more prominently at the time of laughing, straining, coughing and lifting something heavy.
* Due to the obstruction in passing of the fecal material down to the rectum the patient may experience constipation.
Ventral Hernia Diagnostic Procedures
If you observe ventral hernia symptoms, then it is very important to get it diagnosed. Following are some of the diagnostic procedures which may be used in confirming ventral hernia.
* An ultrasound test of the abdominal region may be conducted which may help to get a clear picture of the hernia.
* A CT scan may be used to confirm the presence of hernia. This is also very helpful in finding out the size of the hernia and what is causing it.
* Laparoscopy can also be used to find out the presence of ventral hernia. In this procedure the doctor will insert a small camera inside your stomach.
Treatment for Ventral Hernia
Once the hernia is diagnosed and confirmed, the doctor will advice you to undergo treatment. Hernia is mostly repaired or treated with the help of surgery. Two types of surgeries can be done in treating hernia: open surgery and laparoscopic surgery. In open surgery, the doctor will make cuts and open your abdomen where the hernia is located, will fix it and will stitch the skin back to its place. Where as in the laparoscopic surgery the doctor will use minimum invasive techniques and insert camera from one hole and a tool from the other one and will fix your hernia.
Proper guidelines and after care has to be followed for hernia treatment surgeries. The patient should follow all the instructions of the doctor. It is advisable to include fibrous food in the diet, drink lots of water and avoid stressful work to get rid of hernia problems.
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