Generally an indication of a hernia is a bulge or swelling, accompanied by pain, discomfort, or pressure. The bulge is usually gone when you wake or when you lie down but becomes more prominent as the day progresses. One generally is able to be push it back inside but it returns promptly, especially with straining, coughing or sneezing, or as you go about your daily life.
Is there ever a hernia with pain and discomfort only, that is, without a bulge or swelling?
Yes and No depending on who you ask. At Ansa Health Care we say no. Ansa Health Care does not believe in the so called sports hernia. As mentioned under the symptoms section (above), we believe no bulge or swelling equals no hernia. According to some studies and surgeons, pain without a swelling can be operated upon with reasonable results. We do not, however, subscribe to this interpretation, nor we do offer such hernia repairs.
How do you repair the weakness or tear in my muscular wall?
Ansa Health Care adheres to the Shouldice technique of repair. A tailored, hand sewn, continuous, meshwork of flexible permanent suture is placed, in layers, into the floor of the inguinal canal or you abdominal wall. The muscles are gently placed in a flexible, vital, alive and reinforced framework. We use modern non-reactive suture thats strong and lasts throughout your life without dissolving.
We do not use old stainless steel suture that was first used during the second world war during the 1940's. When this old steel suture is used its threaded through the eye of a needle like you would use when sewing a piece of clothing. It tends to make a bigger hole in your tissues than the thickness of the stainless steel suture. Modern sutures that we use are threaded directly into the end of the needle; no threading through the eye of the needle; safer and more effective!
Other common symptoms of an inguinal hernia include:
- pain or discomfort in the affected area (usually the lower abdomen), especially when bending over, coughing, or lifting
- weakness, pressure, or a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen
- a burning, gurgling, or aching sensation at the site of the bulge