There are many doubts about whether women can have hernias or not. The answer is “Yes”. There are many types of hernias. In women, hernias are often found in the groin area, and groin hernia symptoms can occur in both women and men of all ages.
If a woman experiences a dull pain in the groin area and suspects a groin hernia, she should have a doctor examine whether the hernia is large. If it is large and left untreated, the part of the intestine that has herniated into the groin area will not be able to return to the abdominal cavity. The patient will experience increased pain, and in some cases, emergency surgery may be required.
Do hernias in women and men have the same causes?
Hernia is a condition where a part of the intestine protrudes through the abdominal wall, causing a lump or swelling in one area of the abdominal wall. Symptoms can be observed as a bulging pain in the groin, a hard lump appearing in the groin, and in men, the lump may extend to the scrotum. In women, the hard lump of the hernia usually protrudes beside the genital area. Common types of hernias include umbilical hernias, groin hernias in women, and hernias occurring after surgery.
The causes are similar, including frequent straining during bowel movements or chronic increased abdominal pressure, such as lifting heavy objects, regular constipation straining, or chronic coughing. Hernias can be seen as bulging lumps. A small number of cases occur due to abnormalities after surgery, such as abdominal surgical scars.
How to prevent and treat hernias in women?
There is currently no way to prevent hernias from occurring, but the progression of the disease can be prevented by early surgical correction. When a hard lump of hernia appears beside the genital area, a doctor should diagnose whether it is a hernia. If it is, treatment should be done promptly. Surgery is the only treatment method; medication cannot make the hernia return inside. If left untreated, complications of the hernia may occur, causing increasingly severe abdominal pain.
Currently, there are 2 surgical methods to treat hernias:
- Open surgery: The doctor will choose this method for very large groin hernias.
- Laparoscopic surgery: The doctor will choose this method when the herniated intestine is not very large. The advantages of laparoscopic surgery are smaller wounds, less pain for the patient, faster recovery, and a shorter hospital stay—usually just 1 night—allowing the patient to return to work normally.
What is the treatment procedure?
Generally, in both surgical methods, the doctor will use a synthetic mesh to help the wound heal quickly, without tension, and with less pain. However, it takes about 3 months for the special mesh to fully integrate and strengthen with the body. During this period after surgery, patients should avoid lifting heavy objects and increasing abdominal pressure, as this may cause recurrence.
Another important point is that patients who have had a hernia on one side have a higher chance of developing a hernia on the other side compared to normal people. Additionally, in obese individuals with abdominal obesity, the tissues or membranes supporting the intestines are weaker than in non-obese people. Umbilical hernias are especially common in people with abdominal obesity, both men and women.
