Hernia Symptoms in Women

It is often wrongly assumed that hernia affects only men. Hernia can be seen in women and children also. There are many hernia types. Symptoms of the different types of hernia are dependent on the location of the hernia. Before we turn to hernia symptoms in women, lets first get to know what is hernia itself.

What Is Hernia?
An abnormal protrusion out of a part of an organ through the tissues is labeled as hernia. Hernia protrudes out through the tissue, which contains it. This condition is a result of laxity of muscles. Hernia protrusion is often seen through intestinal or abdominal fatty tissue. The term hernia can be used to refer to other bulges, however, its usage is more often in terms of hernia of the abdominal wall. Hernias by themselves do not show symptoms but there is always the risk of blood supply being cut off. In such cases, it becomes an emergency and surgery might be required.

Hernia Symptoms in Women
As mentioned earlier, symptoms of hernia vary depending upon the type of hernia. Commonly found hernia symptoms in females are mentioned below:

• Bulge: As the protrusion makes it way through, a bulge or swelling becomes evident under the abdominal wall skin. Activities such as exercising, coughing, lifting and straining put more strain on the abdominal muscles, which in turn leads to increase in the size of the protrusion.
• Pain: The next common symptom is pain. The degree of pain varies from dull to severe. Pain is caused due to the tissue being stretched or torn. The pain is often localized pain, directly on the hernia site itself. The other cause of pain is irritation or damage of the nerve.
• Nausea, Vomiting and Constipation: If the intestine gets trapped within the hernia, it causes obstruction in the normal flow of food through the intestine. This results in nausea and vomiting. When the blockage is partial, it will lead to nausea without any signs of vomiting. At the same time, it can cause loss of appetite. In case of complete blockage of intestine, it can also cause constipation.
• Urinary Problems: Like the intestine, if the bladder is blocked due to hernia, it can cause urinary burning, bladder stones, frequent infections, hesitancy or increased frequency of urination.
• Other Symptoms: Hernia can also cause impotence or painful intercourse in women.

Types of Hernia and Female Hernia Symptoms
Like I said, there are different types of hernia. Now lets see what they are.

Inguinal Hernia Symptoms In Women: Most of the times, the inguinal hernia symptoms in women are not noticed. These may be discovered during a routine checkup. If the protrusion is large enough, it might be seen or felt in the lower abdomen or on either side of the pelvic bone. The protrusion is normally noticed when a woman coughs or is standing. This type of hernia may cause discomfort in the groin and extreme pain when the woman coughs or bends.

Umbilical Hernia Symptoms In Women: Umbilical hernia is often noticed in children. About 20% of children are said to suffer from it. This type of hernia heals on it own. In adults, it is more often seen in women. Umbilical hernia is often not that painful. This type of hernia is mostly seen near the navel. You may even feel it if you press gently on the navel. It is also called belly button hernia.

Hiatal Hernia Symptoms In Women: The symptoms of hiatal hernia are more prominent than the other types. Acid reflux is the most common symptom. The other symptoms include heartburn, regurgitation and nausea. Read more on hiatal hernia diet tips.

Femoral Hernia Symptoms In Women: The first symptom of femoral hernia is a lump which can be seen either in the groin or abdominal area. Nausea, vomiting and constipation are also seen in this type of hernia. Painful intercourse and urinary symptoms are also observed.

For more information, read Hernia Surgery Recovery.

Normally all hernia need surgical intervention for them to be treated. If surgery cannot be done or needs to be postponed, it is advisable to avoid any kind of pressure on the abdominal area. Activities, like, lifting and straining may cause the hernia to enlarge. Hope this article on hernia symptoms in women was helpful to you.