A hernia occurs when an abdominal organ or other tissue has abnormally protruded through the abdominal wall cavity. They may cause little to no pain at first. A hernia can be in your groin, on your abdomen, or associated with a previous scar. A bulge or hernia that is associated with redness, nausea, or severe pain can mean a strangulated hernia. A strangulated hernia is always a dangerous condition in which the blood supply to the hernia and to its contents is cut off. It must be addressed immediately before sepsis sets in, which can lead to death.

A hernia will not go away on its own and will not get better. Delaying treatment can only increase your risk for strangulation and increase your risk for complications. A strangulated hernia will require traditional open surgery, a 3-5 day hospital stay, as well as prolonged recovery time.

Laparoscopic surgery is best instituted early on, where healing, recovery, and postoperative pain are all significantly improved over traditional open surgery. A laparoscopic procedure allows for smaller incisions, quicker recovery, less pain and no hospital stay. Typically, the procedure can be done through three micro incisions in less than an hour.

Now is the time to address your hernia, don’t wait for complications. Your health should come first.