Hernia: Chronic Inguinal Pain months after an operation

herniaTo easily understand what a hernia is, just imagine a tire with an internal camera: if the outer part of the tire weakens, then the camera will be affected. A hernia happens when the outer layer of a cavity in the organism weakens, deforms and distends.

The human body is divided into cavities surrounded by a resistant outer wall composed of muscle and fascia. The outer walls have several holes that allow the passage of blood vessels and other structures. The inner part of the cavity is covered by a membrane called the peritoneum. The peritoneum is similar to the tire chamber.

If the outer layer weakens, the inner cover begins to press through the weakened openings and then a bulge or protrusion called a hernia sac forms.

The largest cavity or compartment of the human body is the abdominal cavity, and it is the place of the body most prone to hernias. It is easy for the abdominal wall to break or weaken. Then, it can happen that organs such as intestinal loops or abdominal tissues can slide from their original position to the hernia sac. The areas near the natural inguinal orifices are especially susceptible to form inguinal and crural hernias.

Umbilical hernias occur in the umbilicus, incisional hernias occur in old surgical wounds.

Treatment of a hernia

Cautious observation is an option in many asymptomatic hernias, but this can be risky in certain cases. For example, within two years of diagnosing a femoral hernia, 40% of these causes intestinal strangulation.

For a hernia, doctors differ in their opinions of whether scheduled surgery for repair is necessary, whether or not it produces symptoms, or whether it can be completely repaired.

Some doctors, for example, express that an operation in these cases is not necessary and that cautious observation would be sufficient.

Others, on the other hand, doctors recommend surgical repair to eliminate the risk of subsequent strangulation of the bowel, when the blood supply to the affected part is cut, which is an emergency indication for surgery. It also adds that a scheduled operation is less risky than an emergency operation.

The surgical options depend on the circumstances of each individual, as well as the location of a hernia, but there are generally two types of surgical interventions:

• Open surgery

• Laparoscopic surgery (“minimally invasive surgery”).

Open surgical repair closes a hernia using sutures, meshes, or a combination of both, and the surgical wound on the skin is closed with sutures, staples, or surgical glue.

Laparoscopic repair is used for repeat operations and one of its main purposes is to avoid scars, and although it is usually more expensive, it is less likely to present complications, such as infections.

What is the chronic pain after an operation?

Chronic pain can be defined as continuous pain months after hernia surgery. It is more frequent than we imagine. 15% of people who have surgery can have moderate, severe or disabling pain, which interferes with their daily activities, such as sitting or walking. Sometimes it is published above 30%.

Causes of chronic pain after an operation

The pain after the repair of a hernia can be caused by the direct effect of the dissection (neural injury – burn), by the use of a mesh (synthetic tissue that irritates the body) or by the method of fixation used to secure it (stitches). suture or staples). It can also originate indirectly by the fibrosis that determines the healing process, which can retract the mesh and injure a nerve.

Symptoms of pain after surgery

Chronic pain after surgery is typically described as burning, stabbing or pinching. It can be located in the groin, although it can also be referred around the scar or in the upper part of the thigh.

It usually gets worse when standing up, when sitting or when climbing stairs. It can also appear during sex (dyspareunia).

Classification of postoperative pain according to its intensity

Depending on the intensity of the pain the patient feels after the inguinal hernia operation, we can classify it into:

Mild pain: It is a moderate and occasional pain, that is, it is a pain that does not limit the patient’s movement or activity. It is easily suppressed with common analgesics.

Frequent pain: It is a pain that the patient suffers more frequently and that can prevent him from doing some activities that require physical effort, such as playing sports.

Severe pain: This type of pain is very frequent and constant and prevents the patient from doing simple activities, such as walking. In these cases, may require a higher analgesia, but like all, eventually, disappear over time.

Treatment options

The treatment of pain after the repair of a hernia should be handled by a hernia surgeon (NOT a normal general surgeon). A treatment plan should be designed based on the patient’s history and personal history, including the initial operation report, mesh type and fixation used, an adequate physical examination and inguinal ultrasound.

Treatment may include conservative measures, such as anti-inflammatories, analgesics, muscle relaxants, and nerve blocks. For severe pain that does not respond to these measures, a neurectomy may be considered. In certain cases, removal or resection of the mesh may help. Your Hernia expert can help you determine the treatment plan that best suits you.

How can we reduce inflammation of this hernia?

To start the best way to treat a hernia is to lead a healthy life, it is best to prevent that herniated disc, and nutrition is the mainstay of prevention.

It is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercises such as yoga, tai chi, swimming, weights and especially suitable stretches to keep the spine flexible.

We must consider what foods aggravate hernias

A diet based on non-integral cereals, sugar, wheat, meat, dairy products, is an inflammatory and acidifying diet. The more acidified the organism is, the more inflammation the tissues suffer and consequently, the hernias, if there are none, can occur and, if they are already in place, they can worsen or even appear.

Infusion of Xembran, Hernica from Grocare.

The pains of Hernia can be calmed with an infusion of different herbal medicines such as Xembran and Hernica whose joint action is anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory and astringent.

Shift Frequency © 2018 – Educational material

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