What are the characteristics of hernias?
A hernia can develop gradually, over a period of weeks or months, or it can come on suddenly, when you strain to lift something heavy. Some hernias will exhibit clear symptoms, such as pain, discomfort and a bulge in the abdomen. Some hernias will be discovered only during a routine physical examination by a doctor. A protrusion that lessens in extent upon lying down or that can be physically pushed back into place is called a reducible hernia. While this can be tolerated for a period of time and doesn’t represent a medical emergency, it should be discussed with a doctor and very likely dealt with surgically. Tissue or organs that become incarcerated or trapped while protruding through an area of weakness place the patient at risk for strangulation, or the loss of blood supply and death of the tissue. If the trapped organ is a loop of intestine, the result can be bowel obstruction, with cramping, abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting. Tissue death can lead to gangrene and a life-threa
