Hernia Surgery Recovery

A hernia is bulging of an organ or the muscular wall of an organ through the muscle or cavity that normally contains it. Though it may grow in any part of the body, the abdominal wall is the most commonly affected area. It usually occurs due to a tear in a muscle wall that causes the inner lining to protrude. Obesity, heavy lifting, natural weakness, straining during bowel movements, fluid in the abdominal cavity, chronic lung disease and hereditary factors are some conditions or causes that increase pressure of the abdominal cavity and may contribute to the formation or worsening of a hernia. Read more on types of hernia.

Pain, swelling of the skin of the abdominal wall, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite are some common symptoms observed in the people having hernia. Quite often the normal flow of blood in the intestines may get blocked and the patient may suffer from constipation. If the bladder region gets infected by hernia, person may develop urinary symptoms, like, hesitancy, urinary burning, frequent infections and urination, bladder stones, etc.

Treatment of hernia primarily depends on whether the hernia is small, reducible, irreducible, non-incarcerated or strangulated. For non-strangulated hernias, various trusses and surgical belts or bindings can be used which provide temporary and symptomatic relief by holding back the protrusion. But for irreducible hernias, elective surgery is the best treatment to cope up with the pain and discomfort. Let's look at the various aspects of hernia surgery and hernia surgery recovery.

Hernia Surgery
Depending upon the severity of the hernia, a patient may undergo open, mesh or laparoscopic surgery which lasts for nearly two to three hours. In conventional or open surgery, the surgeon makes an incision over the affected area and substitutes the herniated tissue. He removes the unwanted tissues and sews together the surrounding muscle tissue to re-mediate the hole or defect in the abdomen. If the patient undergoes mesh surgery, the surgeon makes an incision at the affected area and places a piece of mesh over it. The surrounding muscle tissues are not sewed together but the incision is sewn at the end of the surgery. In laparoscopic hernia surgery, a tiny telescope like device is inserted through a small incision at the umbilicus (belly button) through which the surgeon views and treats the hernia. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia due to which the patient doesn't feel any pain.

However, using special meshes, surgeons now have a tension-free plug and/or patch to repair hernias rather than suturing tissues together. The advantage of employing this technique is that it greatly reduces the risk of recurrence. Most of the Health Insurance plans cover the cost of the surgery performed but if the patient doesn't have a Health Insurance then the hernia surgery cost may vary from $6000-$14000 including surgeon fees, hospital fees, anesthetist fees, cost of the specialist equipments, antibiotics and pain medications.

Hernia Surgery Recovery
After surgery, a patient may experience minimal discomfort as the body is numb due to the general anesthetic used during the operation. The patient should take complete rest and is advised to stay in the hospital for two to three days. Minimal physical activity like slow walking will help the patient to overcome the normal feelings of stiffness and pain due to the surgery as it increases the blood circulation and speeds up the healing process. While sneezing, coughing or vomiting, the patients should support their abdomen by putting a pillow on it. The incision may get sore, swollen or bruised within few weeks of the surgery. Though this is normal, one may consult a doctor if the condition worsens.

The patient should be given easy to digest foods, like, liquids, juices or soups for the initial few days or until the digestive tract has completely recovered. The hernia surgery recovery time varies from person to person as some patients may resume their normal life a week after the surgery while others may take few more weeks to recover. However, on an average, the hernia operation recovery time ranges from two to three weeks in which the patient can perform routine activities but needs to avoid heavy lifting and vigorous exercises.

Hernia Surgery Complications
The surgery may involve few complications which can be addressed effectively during the recovery period. If the patient experiences fever, severe pain or bleeding, difficulty in breathing, excessive sweating, urinary retention, etc., it's recommended to consult the doctor for necessary treatment and medications.

Hernia surgery is highly effective and less taxing for patients and in most of the cases patients are able to get back on their feet within a week after the surgery. However, patients should avoid excessive strain on the herniated area of the body and should take proper care during the hernia surgery recovery time period.