Hernia - Knowing The Types & Causes Of It!

A hernia is a common and very painful disease caused in the abdominal region. The disease occurs when an organ or a portion of a fatty tissue gets out of its position and leaks out through the muscle or connective tissue surrounding it. The leakage is caused due to an inherent lack of strength of the surrounding tissue or muscle.

There are several types of a hernia. The following are the most notable-

• An inguinal hernia - An Inguinal hernia refers to hernia of the inner groin. In this case, the urinary bladder or the intestine comes seeping into the surrounding abdominal or inguinal area, into the groin. This is the most common type of a hernia by a huge majority, and most of the victims are men.

• An incisional hernia - This type of a hernia develops from an incision or a cut on the surface of the body. Incisions are made on the body at the time of surgery, and they later become the sites of an incisional hernia. The intestine pushes out through the cut into the surrounding abdominal region. The rate of occurrence of this type of a hernia is the highest in old people or people who are obese and have had surgeries. The risk increases when these people have very little physical exercise after surgery.

• An umbilical hernia - In this type of a hernia, a portion of the small intestine passes through the wall of the abdomen, close to the navel. It is common in both children and women. It is especially common in women who have had multiple pregnancies or are over the desired weight for their height, age bracket and medical history.

What is the underlying cause of this disease?

The underlying cause of this disease is a combination of pressure and muscle or tissue weakness. The internal pressure forces the inner organs outwards towards the surrounding tissue. The weakness in the tissue or muscle allows the organs to be absorbed inside it. This weakness is present in some people from birth, while in other people, it develops along the course of years.

What triggers the occurrence of a hernia?

Following are some triggers for a hernia-

• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Continued coughing or sneezing
• Lifting heavy weights

All these contribute to an increase in pressure of the internal organs, increasing their likeliness to get pushed out into surrounding tissue.

A hernia is a disease that causes considerable pain and discomfort and can cause changes to your lifestyle. There are several types of the disease and factors, which get you more at risk for it. If you think you belong to one of the high-risk groups, you should go for a diagnostic test immediately.