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QUESTION: I am writing on behalf of my boyfriend
He says he has a hernia,
but refuses to go see about it
Over the years it has gotten bigger and is
now the size of a softball
He believes as long as he can push it back he’ll
be all right
Please give me any information you have, because I don’t know
anything about the subject at all.

ANSWER: It is obvious from your letter that your boyfriend doesn’t have a
clear understanding of his condition either
And he may not be the only one,
as hernias are quite common in the general population with about 15 people out
of 1000 bothered by the problem
A hernia occurs when a loop of bowel or
intestines pushes through an abnormal opening
The most common is the
“indirect” hernia, which accounts for from 50 percent to 75 percent of all
hernias
This type of hernia usually develops in men under the age of 30
In
these cases the gut pushes through a weak point in the sheet of tissue that
lines the inner abdominal wall (the abdominal fascia) and passes through a
canal into the scrotum
Although there may be few symptoms the swelling is
easily noticed, and as the opening becomes larger the hernia may seem to
grow
When the intestines push through the wall of the abdomen as a result
of a weakness, producing a bulge in groin area, it is termed a “direct” hernia
and is seen most frequently in men over the age of 40
Although these bulges
may be pushed back easily, or held in place with belts, the danger lies in a
complication of hernias known as “incarceration” where the gut becomes stuck
in the position, and may require emergency surgery to correct the situation.
These incarcerations may also cause the circulation to the trapped intestines
to become blocked, in which case the bowel becomes “strangulated”, can easily
die, and become a life threatening situation
Repair of the hernia is the
answer, and is one of the most common surgical procedures performed
Your
boyfriend will need a bit of time for recuperation after the operation, from
two to three months while the surgery heals, during which activities will
gradually be increased from walking to full exercise.

The material contained here is “FOR INFORMATION ONLY” and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician
Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.

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