Hernia occurs most commonly when inner layers of your abdominal muscle weaken and cause the abdominal lining to bulge into a small sac. Part of the intestine or abdominal tissue may enter this sac.
It’s usually easy to recognize a hernia. You may notice a bulge under your skin. Or you may feel pain when you lift heavy objects, cough or strain during urination or bowel movements. The pain may be sharp and immediate. In some cases, the pain may be a dull ache that gets worse toward the end of the day or after standing for long periods of time.
The most common hernias occur in the groin (inguinal), the navel (umbilical) and at the incision site of a previous surgery.
Surgery is the best treatment option
Hernias can cause severe pain and other serious problems such as infection or bowel obstruction. Surgery is the only way to repair them, because they do not resolve on their own. Prompt surgical treatment is usually the best choice and will prevent complications from developing later on.
