Surprising Hernia Causes You May Not Know

Do you have a hernia? Do you have any idea why, what happened, or whether you might have done something to cause it? Of the 700,000 hernia surgeries performed each year, only a small percentage of patients are actually aware of what caused their hernia. It might be helpful to learn about some surprising hernia causes that you may not know.

The #1 Mythical Cause

Except for an incisional hernia, there are virtually no obvious reasons for a hernia. In fact, no one incident or trauma causes a hernia. At best, that scenario is very rare. It is the repetitive strain on the muscles from various sources that can generate the development of a hernia overtime. A sudden one-time strain often makes the hernia more symptomatic, but does not cause it.

Surprising Causes of an Incisional Hernia

This type of hernia occurs at the site of a previous surgical procedure, and the scarring causes a weakness of the muscles near the incision. Normally this occurs within 3 – 6 months of the procedure. Any strenuous exercise, weight gain after surgery, or a new pregnancy can lead to an incisional hernia due to the extra stress on the tissues that are trying to heal.

Surprising Causes of an Inguinal Hernia

An inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia. When this injury occurs, part of the intestines push through a weak or thin place in the abdominal wall and usually develop a visible bulge in the groin area. Muscle weakness and strain are the main causes of this kind of hernia.

Other causes include the following:

• Low birth weight
• Smoking
• Aging
• Being a male with a family history of inguinal hernias
• Premature birth

Surprising Causes of an Umbilical Hernia

This particular type of hernia often presents itself in children and newborns near the navel, or it can develop later in life. An umbilical hernia may go away on its own with time as the abdominal muscles strengthen, usually by the time the child is 1 or 2 years old. While treatment is not always necessary, a child that still has an umbilical hernia by age 5 will typically be recommended for surgical intervention to repair the weakened tissues.

As an adult, becoming pregnant multiple times and being overweight can lead to symptoms of an umbilical hernia. If you have a bulge near the belly button that does not go away or becomes larger over time, you should seek care from Michigan Hernia Surgery.

Surprising Causes of a Ventral Hernia

This kind of hernia bulges out through the muscles of the abdominal wall. It becomes smaller when reclining. Someone can be born with a ventral hernia or it can develop as an adult if you are obese, perform strenuous activities, or become pregnant.