An inguinal hernia is a bulge that occurs in the groin region, the area between the lower part of our abdomen and our thigh. Inguinal hernias occur because of a weakening of the muscles in the lower abdomen.

Three layers protect the intestines inside the lower abdomen. The first is a thin membrane called the peritoneum. The second is made up of the abdominal muscles, and the third is our skin.

An inguinal hernia forms when our intestines and the peritoneum push through the muscles and appear as a bulge under the skin. Inguinal hernias are dangerous because they tend to keep getting larger and our intestine can get trapped inside the bulge and lose its blood supply. This is called a strangulated inguinal hernia, and surgery may be needed to correct the problem.

Facts

Inguinal hernias may occur on one or both sides of the body and are much more common in men than women, can appear at any age. Infants may be born with one that doesn’t show up until they become adults. About five out of every 100 children are born with the condition.

An inguinal hernia can also develop over time if a person increase pressure on the walls of his/her abdominal muscles through activities like straining to go to the bathroom, coughing over a long period, being overweight, lifting heavy weights etc. Infants born before time are also at higher risk.

Types of inguinal hernia

Inguinal hernias come in two types:

• Indirect inguinal hernia. The most common type, and a type of hernia that a person may be born with. It can occur in men and women but much more common in men. This is because the male testicle starts inside the abdomen and has to go down through an opening in the groin area to reach the scrotum. If this opening does not close at birth, a hernia develops. In women, this type of hernia can occur if reproductive organs or the small intestine slides into the groin area because of a weakness in the abdominal muscles (bearing down sensations).
• Direct inguinal hernia. This type of hernia is caused by weakening of abdominal muscles over time and is more likely to be seen in adults. Direct inguinal hernias occur only in men.

Symptoms

The main symptom is a visible bulge in the groin area. In men, an inguinal hernia may extend down into the scrotum and cause an enlarged scrotum. Small hernias may slide back and forth through the opening in the abdomen and not cause any symptoms. Larger hernias may be massaged back into the abdomen.

Symptoms of hernias that go back and forth include:

• A bulge that increases in size when patient strain and disappears when patient lie down,
• Sudden pain in groin or scrotum when exercising or straining,
• A feeling of weakness, pressure, burning, or aching in the groin or scrotum.

An inguinal hernia that can’t be moved back into the abdomen is called an incarcerated hernia. This is a dangerous situation because the part of our intestine inside the hernia can become strangulated, which is a medical emergency.

Symptoms of a strangulated inguinal hernia include:

• Severe pain and redness,
• Pain that keeps getting worse,
• Fever,
• Rapid heart rate,
• Nausea and vomiting.

Diagnosis

Inguinal hernia is most often diagnosed through a medical history and physical examination. A good doctor will ask his patient questions about hernia symptoms. During the exam, doctor will look for and feel for a bulge in patient’s groin or scrotal area, asked your patient to stand and cough to make the hernia appear. Inguinal hernias in children may only be seen or felt when the child cries.

Allopathic treatment for inguinal hernia

The allopathic way to repair an inguinal hernia is usually only with surgical procedure. In adults with small hernias that don’t cause symptoms, treatment may only be to watch it. 🤯

Adults with symptoms and most children usually have surgery to prevent the possible complication of a strangulated hernia in the future. An incarcerated or strangulated hernia may need emergency surgery.

There are two main types of surgery for inguinal hernia:

• Open repair. An incision is made through the skin in the groin area. The surgeon moves the hernia back inside the abdomen and closes the abdominal wall with stitches. Mesh placement may be used to strengthen the closure and reduce the risk of recurrence of the hernia.
• Laparoscopy or robotic-assisted repair. This type of surgery uses a few small incisions and a thin scope with a tiny camera. The surgeon works through the scope to repair the hernia, sometimes operating from a console maneuvering robotic arms. Mesh is typically used for these repairs. Recovery is shorter and pain is less severe after these minimally invasive approaches than with open repair.

Managing inguinal hernia after surgery

You can help to keep an inguinal hernia from coming back after surgery by avoiding heavy lifting and other strenuous activity, it is important to follow all your doctor’s instructions and keep your follow-up appointments. Getting out of bed and walking is an important part of recovery and helps prevent complications, take steps to avoid becoming constipated, eat lots of fiber, drink plenty of fluids, exercise, and go to the bathroom when you feel the urge.

Contact your doctor if your inguinal hernia symptoms get worse, and always call right away if:

• You have a painful bulge that can’t be pushed back inside.
• You have increasing pain, swelling, or redness.
• You have nausea, fever, or vomiting along with hernia pain.

Homeopathic treatment for inguinal Hernia 

For allopath’s hernia is a surgical condition, but it can be corrected by well selected Homoeopathic medicines. In Homeopathy, there is not any concept of surgery for almost 99% of diseases. This constitutional approach framing mind and body works at the root-level and will help strengthen all muscular sphincters. For hernia there are dozens of well proven medicines, very few of them are as under:

Nux Vomica

Bruised soreness of abdominal walls. Flatulent distension, with spasmodic colic. Colic from uncovering. Liver engorged, with stitches and soreness. Colic, with upward pressure, causing short breath, and desire for stool. Weakness of abdominal ring region. Strangulated hernia. Forcing in lower abdomen towards genitals. Umbilical hernia of infants.

Apis Melifestida

Sore bruised on pressure when sneezing. Extremely tender. Dropsy of abdomen. Peritonitis. Swelling in right groin.

Allium Cepa

Rumbling in bowels. Very offensive flatus. Strangulated hernia. Belching, with rumbling in and puffing up of the abdomen. Violent cutting pain in the left lower abdomen. Pains in hepatic region, spreading into the abdomen. Violent pains in left hypogastrium, with urging to urinate, urine scalding. (Strangulated hernia has been known to follow the eating abundantly of cooked onions). Abdomen distended, rumbling, urging, and finally diarrhea.

Calceria Carbonica

Sensitive to slightest pressure. Liver region painful when stooping. Cutting in abdomen; swollen abdomen. Incarcerated flatulence. Inguinal and mesenteric glands swollen and painful. Cannot bear tight clothing around the waist. Distention with hardness. Gall-stone colic. Increase of fat in abdomen. Umbilical hernia. Trembling; weakness, as if sprained.

Cocculus Indicus

Distended, with wind, and feeling as if full of sharp stones when moving; better, lying on one side or the other. Pain in abdominal ring, as if something were forced through. Abdominal muscles weak; it seems as if a hernia would take place.

Aurum Metallicum

Right hypochondrium hot and painful. Incarcerated flatus. Swelling and suppuration of inguinal glands. Hernia. Burning heat and cutting pain in hypochondrium. Abdomen inflated. Exostosis in the pelvis. Tendency of hernia to protrude, sometimes with cramp-like pains and incarcerated flatus. Swelling of the (lower part) of the testicle. Swelling of the testes, with aching pain on touching and rubbing. Induration of the testes. Testes mere pendant shreds (in pining boys). Hydrocele. Prolapsus and induration of the matrix. Swelling of axillary glands.

Rhus Toxicodendron

Violent pains, relieved by lying on abdomen. Swelling of inguinal glands. Pain in region of ascending colon. Colic, compelling to walk bent. Excessive distention after eating. Rumbling of flatus on first rising but disappears with continued motion.

Lachesis

Enlargement of abdomen. Hernia. Pains in abdomen, in consequence of a strain in the loins. Pains generally pressive in umbilical region with acute pulling, with contraction of abdomen. Peritonitis: pus formed. Inflammation of intestines. Extravasation of blood in peritoneum. Swelling in caecal region; must lie on back, with limbs drawn up. Pressure in testes, as if a hernia were going to protrude.

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Lycopodium Clavatum

Hernia, right side. Liver sensitive. Brown spots on abdomen. Dropsy, due to hepatic disease. Hepatitis, atrophic from of nutmeg liver. Pain shooting across lower abdomen from right to left. Tension round hypochondria. Burning pain in the abdomen. Hernia. Excoriation between scrotum and thighs. Dropsical swelling of genital organs.

Silica Tera

Swelling and induration of hepatic region. Shootings in hypochondria. Painful inguinal hernia. Swelling of prepuce.

Opium

Abdomen hard, and distended, as in tympanites. Tympanites. Lead-colic. Incarcerated inguinal hernia.

Bryonia Alba

Pains in the liver, mostly shooting, tensive, or burning. Hernia. Tractive pains in the hypochondrium. Hard swelling in the hypochondriac and umbilical regions. Hard swelling around the navel. Swelling and inflammation of the labia majora. Swelling of one of the labia, with a black and hard pustule.

Tabacum

Great sensitiveness of abdomen to slightest touch sometimes with nausea and vomiting. Pressive pains in umbilical region, with spasmodic retraction. Genital organs flabby. Varicocele.

Hydrocotyle Asiatica

Scleroderma, elephantiasis, leprosy, skin thickened, itching and hardened. Constipation. Favus. Gangrene. Borborygmi in different parts. Flatus. Violent contractions of intestines. Pain; every few minutes; transverse colon. Constriction. Drawing in spermatic cords. Vulva, vagina and cervix red. Heat in bottom of vagina; pricking and itching at its orifice.

Plumbum Metallicum

Inflation and induration of abdomen. Violent Colics, with constrictive pain, especially in umbilical region. Large, hard swelling in ileocecal region, very sensitive to contact or least motion; sneezing or coughing. Inflammation, ulceration and gangrene of intestines. Swelling and inflammation of genital organs.

Chamomilla

Burning cuttings in the epigastrium, with difficulty of respiration, and paleness of the face. Shooting in the abdomen, principally on coughing, on sneezing, and on touching it. Painful sensibility of the abdomen to the touch, with sensation of ulceration in the interior. Inguinal hernia: pressure towards the inguinal ring, as if hernia were about to protrude. Abdominal spasms. Hernia to prepuce.

Belladonna

Violent pain in the abdomen, Shootings in sides of the abdomen, on coughing, on sneezing, and on being touched. Pains and burning in the hypochondria. Pressure in the abdomen. Hernia. Hernia hypochondria. Hernia to the prepuce. In women: Violent pressure towards the genital parts, as if all were going to protrude, principally when walking, or when in a crouching posture. Shooting in the internal genital parts.

Aconit Nepalus

Constriction, tension and pressure in the hypochondriac region, sometimes with fullness and a sensation of weight. Burning pain, shootings, stinging and pressure; Hernia. Testicles feel swollen, painful to touch, hernia. Puerperal peritonitis.

Aesculus Hippocastanum

Tenderness in the hypochondrium. with much distress in epigastrium. Hernia. Inflamed cervix uteri, retroversion, prolapsus, enlargement and induration, when characterized by great tenderness heat and throbbing.

Aurum Metallicum

Burning heat and cutting pain in hypochondrium. Colic with sensation of great uneasiness and inclination to evacuate. Tensive aching and fullness in the abdomen. Abdomen inflated. Exostosis in the pelvis. Tendency of hernia to protrude, sometimes with cramp-like pains and incarcerated flatus. Swelling and suppuration of the inguinal glands from syphilis or the use of mercury. Swelling of the testes, with aching pain on touching and rubbing. Induration of the testes. Testes mere pendant shreds. Hydrocele. Prolapsus and induration of the matrix, prolapse of rectum.

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Magnesium Muriaticum

Pressing pain in liver; worse lying on side. Liver enlarged with bloating of abdomen; Congenital scrotal hernia, must use abdominal muscles to enable him to urinate. Violent and constant distension of abdomen, with constipation. hernia to testicles.

Calceria Phosphoricum

Hernia. Hydrocele. Malnutrition. Weak and pale with flabby muscles. Colic, soreness and burning around navel.

Cocculus Indicus

Distended, with wind, and feeling as if full of sharp stones when moving; better, lying on one side or the other. Pain in abdominal ring, as if something were forced through. Abdominal muscles weak; Hernia. Painful pressing in uterine region, followed by hemorrhoids.

Granatum

Pain in stomach and abdomen; worse about umbilicus; ineffectual urging. Itching at anus. Dragging in vaginal region, as if hernia would protrude. Swelling resembling umbilical hernia.

Staphysagria

Hot flatus. Swollen abdomen in children, flatus, colic and pelvic tenesmus. Severe pain abdominal hernia. Incarcerated flatus. Diarrhea after drinking cold water, with tenesmus. Constipation.  Hemorrhoids. Prolapsus uteri.  Cystocele (locally and internally). Cystitis in lying-in patients.