What else can be mistaken for a hernia? While a hernia is the cause for most people who experience lumps in their abdomen, there are several other possibilities such as a hematoma, lipoma, a gynecological issue in women, or an undescended testicle in newborn boys. In rare cases, a lump may indicate a tumor.
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How do I know if I have a hernia or something else?
A: If you have a ventral hernia in the belly area, you may see or feel a bulge along the outer surface of the abdomen. Typically, patients with ventral hernias describe mild pain, aching or a pressure sensation at the site of the hernia.
Can a hernia be something else?
Even a lump that doesn’t reduce in size when you lie down could be a hernia, or it could be something else. Both are good reasons to speak to your doctor. Hernias can cause sharp pain when your body is under strain. Acts like coughing, sneezing and lifting can pinch the organ trapped in the abdominal wall.
What is false hernia?
A false hernia has no hernial sac, the abdominal viscera lying free within the thoracic cavity.
What can be mistaken for a hernia in the groin?
Femoral hernias occur when a bit of tissue bulges through the lower belly and into the upper thigh, in the area just below the groin crease. Femoral hernias are sometimes mistaken for inguinal hernias because they occur in a nearby location.
What does a hernia feel like to touch?
The area may be sensitive to the touch, even if you don’t have a noticeable hernia bulge. Pain can feel like a burning or aching sensation, which may get worse with strain. Activities like bending down, lifting heavy objects, coughing, or straining during a bowel movement can trigger sharp pain from a hernia.
Does a hernia hurt if you push on it?
Symptoms of inguinal hernia include: a bulge that can ache or burn in the area that hurts; if you push on the bulge while laying down, you can usually make it go away. bending over, coughing and lifting cause pain in the area. your abdomen can feel heavy and weak or you can even feel pressure.
Can a hernia be confused with a tumor?
The symptoms of stomach cancer are similar to the symptoms of a hiatal hernia or peptic ulcer, namely a vague pain aggravated by food, nausea, heartburn and indigestion. These symptoms are often thought to be due to the stress of psychosomatic illness and are treated with antacids or H-2 blockers.
Can a CT scan miss a hernia?
Ultrasonography and CT do not reliably detect hidden hernias. Patients with clinical suspicion of an inguinal hernia should undergo imaging, with MRI as the most sensitive radiologic examination.
What are the 3 types of hernias?
Hernias are less common in women than in men, however hernias in women can cause chronic pelvic pain, and hernia repair is very effective at eliminating the cause of this pain. The main types of hernias that can develop in women are – indirect inguinal hernias, femoral hernias and umbilical hernias.
Can an ultrasound diagnose a hernia?
Sometimes a hernia cannot be diagnosed through a physical exam alone, and other diagnostic tests are needed. Some examples of these include: Ultrasound.
Is hernia surgery a major surgery?
Comparing surgical repair options
Open hernia repair is a major surgery that’s performed with the aid of general anesthesia or local anesthesia and sedation. It’s done through one or two standard-sized incisions (three to six inches in length) that allow the surgeon to fully visualize and access the problematic area.
How long does hernia surgery take?
Most routine hernia operations take about 30 to 90 minutes depending on the type and size of hernia. After surgery, patients spend about 1-2 hours in the recovery room before leaving the hospital to continue recovering from the comfort of their homes.
How long can you live with a hernia?
The absolute answer is that it is “unpredictable.” Some can live with a hernia for their whole life while others will develop a hernia related emergency within months of the development of their hernia.
How long can a hernia go untreated?
If this condition is left untreated longer than 6 hours, incarcerated hernia can cut off blood flow to part of the intestine, resulting in strangulated hernia.
Does hernia pain come and go?
Hernia symptoms often vary from patient to patient. The most common complaints are pain/discomfort and a bulge or swelling at the site of the hernia. The bulge may be persistent or may go away. It may get bigger over time.
How do you tell if it’s a hernia or pulled muscle?
A pulled abdominal muscle can cause mild pain or sudden sharp pain, which may be aggravated by coughing, laughing and sneezing in a consistent area. Hernias don’t usually cause pain initially. But as they grow, they can cause discomfort that many people describe as ‘achy or heavy.
Is a hernia soft or hard?
An inguinal hernia happens when part of the intestine pushes through a weak spot in the belly (abdominal) wall. The hernia creates a soft lump under the skin. Most inguinal hernias can be pushed back into the belly with gentle massage and pressure.
When is a hernia an emergency?
Symptoms of a hernia in need of emergency treatment include: Severe pain, swelling or redness at the hernia site. Hernia bulge growing quickly. Nausea and/or vomiting.
How urgent is hernia surgery?
Hernias won’t go away if you ignore them. In fact, they’ll get worse over time. If you suspect you have a hernia, it’s a good idea to seek out M.D. Express Urgent Care for an immediate diagnosis and treatment plan. You’ll need either open surgery or less-invasive laparoscopic surgery to treat and resolve the hernia.
How long is hernia surgery recovery?
Open hernia surgery, in which a surgeon utilizes a long incision to push the bulging organ back into place, generally requires a minimum of three weeks to recover. If a laparoscopic hernia repair is performed, recovery is closer to one to two weeks.