“How do you know if a hernia needs surgery?”
I was diagnosed with an inguinal hernia. How do you know if a hernia needs surgery?
5 Answers
We usually recommend that most hernias be repaired once they are identified to prevent them from becoming an emergency or prevent them from getting larger or more complex to fix. Occasionally, when hernias are small, we are able to fix them without the use of mesh which has benefits.
If you do not have symptoms and your hernia is not increasing in size, there is no urgency to have surgery. Increasing symptoms and increase size would be reasons to have surgery sooner.
Not always. Many times, gallbladder surgery is done as a planned operation, an outpatient procedure.
Great question. In my opinion, inguinal hernias should be diagnosed if 1) they cause pain, 2) they cause intestinal obstruction, 3) they are unsightly to you, and/or it causes anxiety/insecurity. If the answer is yes to any of the above, it should be repaired. The chance of bowel becoming entrapped within it is 1-2%, but can be a life-threatening emergency if it occurs.
Pain symptoms.
