Hernias are commonly known as a man’s disease, but women get it too. It is a condition where the tissues or organs do not remain in their location. They protrude through a weak muscular wall and bulge out under the skin.
Hernia in women is different than in men. For men, groin hernia is most common, whereas, for women, it's a femoral hernia. There are many types of hernias. A crucial piece of information that you need to know is that sports hernias may go undiagnosed for months or even years.
What Causes A Femoral Hernia?
The body’s muscles are strong and capable enough to keep the organs in their place. But sometimes, the intra-abdominal tissues are pushed around when you overstrain yourself. A portion of the tissue pushes through the femoral canal; this is called a femoral type. It is one of the most common types found in women.
About 26.8% of femoral happens to women. The percentage of men is meager at 1.33%. It is most common in people between the ages of 40 to 50 years. Some women are born with a weakened femoral canal area. But, the area can also become weak over time. For instance, if you strain yourself frequently, it will effectively weaken the femoral canal.
What Are the Symptoms?
The symptoms of a hernia are different in women-one the main differences being the area. Women may experience bouts of acute pain or chronic deep pelvic pain. The pain comes on quickly and lingers. Since the symptoms are common for other health issues too, it often points physicians in the wrong direction. Many women have been diagnosed with fibroids and cysts before it was determined to be it. The hernia can be quite small in size. It may also be deep inside the stomach. There is often no visible bulge in female patients. These factors make it hard to make a correct diagnosis.
Symptoms Of HerniaHow to help form a Correct Diagnosis?
Most cases are wrongly diagnosed in the beginning. The incorrect diagnosis often gives it time to get worse. However, you can help the doctor diagnose correctly by being specific about the symptoms. For instance, you can specify the pain you feel. Is it a shooting pain or does it burn? Describing the symptoms accurately is very helpful in forming the correct diagnosis.
To explain your symptoms accurately, you need to be observant. Are there any particular situations that trigger the pain? If so, do not forget to mention it to the doctor. Doing anything that puts pressure on the abdominal area like lifting weights, laughing, coughing, are great indicators of a possible hernia.
If you are unable to describe the symptoms and use broad or general terms, it gets difficult for the physician to pinpoint a cause. If you have any concerns or feel that you might have them, always mention them to your doctor.
What is the Treatment for Hernia?
Since hernias don’t improve, operations are inevitable. There are conservative options, like pain management and physical therapy. These help to control the symptoms and help you heal quicker. Physical therapists also use myofascial release techniques. They help to alleviate muscle spasms that cause pain.
If these treatment options do not help, you could go for laparoscopic surgery. It is a general surgery that helps to fix a hernia. As the hernia protrudes through a weak area of the stomach, the tissues can get damaged. Through surgery, the abdominal walls are restored.
Most people are sent home the same day. It is highly recommended that you increasingly walk around after the surgery so that you can heal quickly. The best part about the surgery is that it does not take long to heal. In about a week or two, you should be good to resume all activities. Consult your doctor if it is okay to start working out or lifting weights.
Many times, people are not aware that they have a femoral hernia due to the absence of symptoms. However, if the hernia is large, it is more noticeable, and the patient experiences pain as well. As the femoral hernias are pretty close to the hips, you may get hip pain as well.
If you have any kind of pain that makes you think that it might be a hernia, it is better to get it checked out. Ignoring the pain will not make it go away. But, it will inevitably cause more damage to your body that could be avoided with timely treatment.
Also Read: All You Need To Know About Hernia
