Hernia Symptoms: 13 Early Signs of a Hernia

A hernia is a health condition where a tissue or its contents protrude through a weakening in the muscle covering. Although it can involve any part of the body, the commonly affected body parts include upper abdomen (a hiatal hernia), near the navel (an umbilical hernia), the outer groin (a femoral hernia), the inner groin (an inguinal hernia) and surgical scar mark (an incisional hernia).

Besides, anatomical location, they are further categorized as reducible and non-reducible hernias, later being more advanced and painful. Reducible hernias dissipate on their own, while most non-reducible hernia requires surgical removal and correction of the muscle wall. Regardless of the type, early identification of certain signs and symptoms can help diagnose the condition earlier, minimize suffering and improve the prognosis of the disease.

The following are 13 early signs and symptoms of a hernia:

A bulge in the abdomen

The first sign of a hernia is seen in the form of a noticeable swelling under the skin that eventually turns into a bulge and visible lump. This flange forms like a pocket containing hernia contents within the organs, especially that of the wall of the abdomen, naval, or groin. If left untreated for a long time, a hernia becomes more advanced and painful as the muscles expand, resulting in an even larger sac.

This notable bulge typically forms because of weakened tissue in any part of the body and is the basic characteristics of any hernia. It may be congenitally present in infants due to weaker muscle walls or may develop later in life due to several other reasons. In most cases, a patient will feel pain before the bulge is visible to the naked eye.

Stomach Upset

Tummy troubles that include difficulty in digesting meals, lingering digestive upset, heartburn, nausea, and bowel issues like constipation may occur with hernias specifically diagnosed in the abdomen or groin areas, like an inguinal hernia that protuberances out of the groin near to the thigh and the lower abdomen. Stomach upset occurs because of an inguinal hernia slip in and out of the abdomen or comes in front into the inguinal canal.

The doctor can comfort this situation by doing a gentle massage which manipulates the hernia back into the belly. If a hernia becomes strangled (or the blood supply is cut off) one can experience vomiting and nausea and have difficulty in a bowel movement and passing gas. A strangulated hernia needs immediate emergency medical attention because it is a life-threatening condition.

Nerve Discomfort

With lingering hernia pain, one may feel discomfort in other parts of the body which are connected to the same nerve chain. This occurs when a hernia aggravates the nerves, and the pain travels along the nerve root.

For example, if an inguinal hernia (found in the inner groin) pushes on the nearby nerves; it may cause an ache in the legs, the labia (for women) or scrotum (for men). Hernias which happen from a sports injury (or athletics, like soccer or hockey) can experience nerve compression. It results in the form of the bulge which presses into the region of the nerve and causing radiation of pain into one of the nerve dermatomes.

Pain with Movement

At an initial stage, a person with a hernia may not notice pain with movement, but a growing hernia increases pain when one make sudden movements. For instance, when a patient coughs, sneezes, laughs, or even turn down suddenly to lift any object, especially a hiatal hernia has a tendency to slip out of place, increasing in size of the bulge by forcing tissues outwards.

The patients whose hernia originate in the abdomen may find sitting down for a long time very painful. This means that sitting at a desk for the whole day and driving long distances may cause the hernia to displace and bulge outward. Bending at the waist may cause too much pressure as well as discomfort in the abdomen.

Feeling Full

People with abdominal hernias, especially that of umbilical, para-umbilical and hiatal origin often have a bloated, heavy or full feeling. It is due to the fact that such type of hernias develop in the intestine and protrude via the umbilical opening.

Umbilical hernias are common in infants and pediatric age group due to weak abdominal muscles while a hiatal hernia is common in adults. A hiatal hernia originates from the stomach and passes through an opening in the diaphragm (known as the hiatus).

Hernias of small size are not an issue and won’t make you feel uncomfortable, however, they start putting pressure on surrounding organs (stomach and esophagus) when they grow in size. Compression of the stomach leads to reduced space for food and therefore results in a heavy or full feeling. Additionally, larger hernias may also cause pain when food particles and stomach acid regurgitate back into the esophagus.

Pain While Picking Objects

You may feel a dragging sensation in your groin while picking up an object from the ground. This usually happens in a femoral hernia (a sac in the femoral canal) or an inguinal hernia (which is a soft tissue hernia of the abdominal cavity). When you bend down to pick something, these hernias press through weakened muscle walls and cause pain due to nerve compression. They will always hurt you, especially in case of non-reducible inguinal or a femoral hernia.

Reduced Blood Supply

The non-reducible hernias are larger in size and often becomes strangulated inside the weak muscle wall. It leads to blockage of blood supply to the strangulated part. Reduced blood supply results in poor functioning of the hernial sac as well as surrounding area and causes severe pain. A strangulated hernia is a medical emergency that may put your life in danger and therefore needs immediate surgical removal.

To avoid this life-threatening complication, you have to consider early signs and symptoms of a hernia and consult your doctor for evaluation. It is estimated that the strangulated hernias are linked to 7 percent higher risk of death.

Nausea or Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are one of the most common signs of umbilical, hiatal as well as inguinal hernias. Excessive vomiting along with nausea is often suggestive of advance stage hernia. When a hernia becomes larger in size, it is difficult for it to return to its original place and got trapped in the muscle wall which in turn causes nausea and vomiting.

If your hernia bulge is palpable externally, you can gently push it back to prevent it from becoming incarcerated. An incarcerated hernia is very painful and causes excessive vomiting.

Muscle Weakness

Larger localized hernias are associated with pressure and fatigue symptoms in the area of origin. For instance, when an umbilical hernia slips out of place, it will put pressure on the large intestine while a slipped hernia of an inguinal region will put pressure on the leg and groin area. This pressure will cause a lot of discomfort and eventually be treated by surgical repair.

While awaiting surgery, if your hernia protrudes or slips from the original place, you can put back your hernia through a gentle massage. To reduce discomfort and avoid slipping of the hernial sac, patients may be given a specialized belt called “truss” to support weakened the muscle wall and keep the bulge from slipping in and out. If both measures fail, your hernia may get trapped in the surrounding area that causes strangulation. A strangulated hernia is a medical emergency that is always treated surgically.

Fever

Fever is a non-specific symptom of a hernia and indicates an infection of the hernial contents. If fever is accompanied by other hernia symptoms such as localized pain, visible bulge and nausea, you should always consider it a medical emergency and rush to the emergency room right away. A hernia, superimposed by high-grade fever can be a potentially life-threatening situation.

Heartburn or Acid Reflex

Several different types of hernias, occurring in different areas of the body can present various symptoms. One of which includes burning sensation in the chest or heartburn. It is commonly associated with a hiatal hernia, which when grow in size, protrudes from the hiatal opening in the diaphragm and put pressure on the stomach. Stomach acid and food contents from the stomach regurgitate back into the esophagus and cause inflammation of the esophageal lining. This will further lead to a burning sensation that feels remarkably like heartburn.

Constipation

Constipation is a symptom-specific to an umbilical or an inguinal hernia. These hernias, when grow in size, can put a lot of pressure on the large intestine, impeding the passage of food and causes indigestion. This will further result in difficulty passing feces and gas. Often times, the indigestion of food leads to malabsorption of the nutrients which in turn cause other health problems like anemia and hypoglycemia.

Discomfort at the End of the Day

Straining a lot or standing for a long time can cause or worsen the pain and discomfort at the end of the day. Alternatively, it is associated with obesity, lifting heavy weights, constipation or pregnancy. Most patients described this feeling as awareness of having low energy or discomfort after the body is spent at the end of the day.

Conclusion

In the beginning, you may have one or two symptoms that may increase with time, especially if you left your condition untreated. So if you notice any of these symptoms or a combination, speak to your doctor immediately. Seeking an early medical advice from a certified specialist will help you diagnose and treat your hernia early with less complications.