A hernia can happen to anyone, irrespective of age. For instance, some types of hernia occur even among babies below the age of one. However, these types of hernia might get eradicated automatically as the child continues to grow. Still, the most common types of hernia are the ones that occur to men and women during their adulthood. When that happens, it generally takes a toll on your body. More importantly, a hernia never goes away automatically. In most scenarios, you must get it checked by a doctor, and more importantly, you might require undergoing surgery to ensure the permanent elimination of the hernia conditions.
Hernia: A common affair
To ensure that you start taking preventive action, at the earliest, you should remain knowledgeable about the causes of hernia. There are different reasons why this particular disease might occur. Most of the time, people ignore these everyday reasons. For instance, doing heavily strenuous work can lead to the development of a hernia. But generally, people won’t stop working hard even if they are warned about the chances of getting affected by the disease.
What are the causes of hernia?
The different types of hernias are mostly caused because of a combination of reasons, which include muscle weakness and strain. Whether the hernia develops quickly or gradually depends on the intensity of its causes.
Some of the most common muscle weakness or strain causes that often lead to a hernia are mentioned below:
- Any congenital condition that happens during the baby’s development inside the womb. This condition leads to the presence of a hernia in a person, right from birth.
- Aging also contributes to the development of a hernia.
- Any muscle damage because of any injury or surgery might give birth to hernia conditions.
- In case any patient suffers from chronic cough or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), there are high chances that the person might get affected by a hernia.
- Any strenuous exercise schedule or lifting heavy weights over a longer period without adequate rest might lead to a hernia.
- Multiple pregnancies or even a singular one can often trigger hernia among women.
- Constipation leads to considerable strain during a bowel movement, and as a result, it can cause a hernia.
- Obesity is the breeding ground for a hernia.
- The existence of exceeding amounts of fluid inside the abdomen or ascites often leads to the development of a hernia.
Apart from all the reasons that we have mentioned above, here are some of the other causes of hernia:
- If you have a family history of hernia, the chances are high that you, too, might start developing the disease over time.
- As you continue aging, your muscles start getting weak. As a result, the chances of acquiring hernia gets higher.
- The habit of chronic cough often leads to the development of a hernia among older men and even kids, given that during continuous coughs, a repetitive increase in abdominal pressure is experienced.
- Cystic fibrosis is yet another huge reason for acquiring a hernia.
- If you are a chain-smoker, you have greater chances of getting affected by a hernia. Smoking leads to the weakening of your connective tissue.
- If someone is prematurely born or had a lower weight ratio at birth, chances of hernia among these individuals are higher than others.
Diagnosis of Hernia
In order to keep the threats of hernia away, ensure that you visit your doctor, and openly talk about your conditions. You might even require to undergo physical examinations to determine whether you have acquired this particular disease. To ensure that you’re not late, answer the questions that we have listed below. There’s a high chance that your doctor will ask you these questions in case he detects a bulge in your system.
- When did you notice the bulge for the first time?
- Have you been experiencing any other symptoms of a hernia?
- What do you think might have caused this bulge?
- Tell the doctor about your lifestyle.
- Does your occupation demand you lift heavy items regularly?
- Do you tend to exercise rigorously?
- Do you smoke?
- Do you have a family history of hernias?
- Did you undergo any surgeries around your abdomen or groin area?
It is always expected that you speak frankly with your doctor, regarding your condition. The more you reveal about yourself, the higher the chances of hernia eradication. Stay safe and live a healthy life!
