“Can a hernia be treated without surgery?”
I'm 47 years old and I have an inguinal hernia, but I'm really afraid of getting surgery for it. Can hernias be treated without have surgery?
2 Answers
A hernia needs to be treated with an operation. Any other modality of treatment is only delaying the inevitable.
No. It is typically safe to wait prior to proceeding with repair, but there is not a non-surgical solution to fixing a hernia. No medicine or activity will make it go away.
In studies, they have compared immediate surgery to watchful waiting for 2 years. The risk of a complication was the same in both groups. Most patients in the watchful waiting group went on to get their hernias repaired at the end of 2 years.
In studies, they have compared immediate surgery to watchful waiting for 2 years. The risk of a complication was the same in both groups. Most patients in the watchful waiting group went on to get their hernias repaired at the end of 2 years.
