You have been diagnosed with a hernia, but it is not posing major problems for you. Your life goes on as before, albeit with minor discomforts, which you can live with. Medicines are not treating the hernia, but who likes to undergo surgery for hernia?
Undergoing surgery is not an easy decision to make. It can be tempting to ignore the hernia if there are no symptoms and that works in some cases. However, your decision should be based on medical grounds. Fully understand the risks and benefits of whichever course of action you take. There are certain things to take into account, which can best be discussed by your treatment specialist. Here are some of them:
How is the hernia affecting you?
The first line of reasoning follows the symptoms you experience. Not all hernias manifest symptoms, especially when they are small. The most common symptom is a pain. Other symptoms can include a sensation of fullness or heaviness in the groin or in the stomach. However even if you do not have symptoms, hernias can still interfere with your work and lifestyle. Hence, you need to consider the extent to which the hernia is affecting your life.
You need to weigh the pros and cons of delaying surgery. If your hernia is small and causes only minor discomfort at present, it is no reason to be complacent. If left untreated the hernia will only grow with normal wear and tear of body tissues, physical activities and pregnancy. As it is, hernias do not treat themselves. Medication is effective only in alleviating the symptoms. The only way to treat hernia is through surgery.
But how long should you wait? If your hernia does cause painful symptoms, the doctor will likely recommend immediate surgery. After all, a small hernia is easier to remove than a bigger one with the associated costs. However, if there are minimal symptoms, the physician will recommend a studied waiting period. However, before the watchful waiting begins, be sure to communicate your actual medical condition to your doctor. Be fully honest about any physical limitations you are subject to due to your hernia.
The Risks of Waiting
Hernias can get incarcerated: A potentially serious complication of not repairing a hernia in time is the possibility of it getting trapped outside the wall of the abdomen. This can cause the blood supply to the hernia getting cut-off. This obstructs the bowel and results in the strangulation of the hernia. When this happens, the patient needs to undergo emergency surgery. All hernias do not progress to this point, but since waiting can lead to this stage, you may want to consider simple surgery is better than waiting for the condition to become complicated.
Hernias will Grow: Even though you may have been diagnosed with a small hernia; it will keep growing during the wait-and-watch period. This will, in turn, increase the symptoms and their severity, causing acute disturbances to your lifestyle. Smaller hernias are easier to remove, entail a lesser convalescence period and is more cost-effective. Here, the issue is whether you should go ahead with the surgery now or wait to have it later when the stakes are comparatively higher.
Hernias Eventually Require Surgery: Studies have shown that the majority of hernia patients undergo surgery within ten years of being diagnosed. That’s a long waiting period for a treatment option that is considered ultimately inevitable. Hence, if surgery is the almost the only treatment option, the patient needs to consider whether a small surgery and total repair of the hernia may not be better than waiting for an uncertain future eventuality, where there would be no other option than a more complex and costlier surgery.
You’re Not Getting Younger: Age can be one of the most important determining factors in weighing the pros and cons of waiting. You will grow older during all the years you delay surgery, meaning that your body may not be in overall good shape; you will not be young as you are today. Having surgery at a more advanced age affects the procedure as well as recovery. Having surgery at an age when your body can better deal is far more beneficial. However, for elderly patients, who are not very active and whose hernia poses no problems or symptoms, it would be better not to have surgery. The risks may outweigh the benefits of repair.
The right time for Hernia Surgery
Conclusion
Having surgery can never be an easy decision. There are so many things to consider. But hernias will not repair themselves; surgery is the only effective option in the majority of cases. A hernia operation repairs the affected region and helps it regain its previous stage of health. It definitely helps when you are in control of the decision and timing. You can decide to have the surgery at your convenience. If you’re a candidate for a laparoscopic hernia operation, recovery is smoother and faster. It cannot be reiterated enough that having a hernia operation at a younger age and with a smaller hernia is always beneficial in the long run.
