Hernias are often considered an issue for older men. If you think of someone with a hernia, it’s usually an older man who has hurt himself lifting something. However, hernias are very common among younger individuals, and in fact, many women also experience them. There are also multiple types of hernias, and some are even more common in women.
At Boca Care Surgical Associates, we want to ensure all patients receive appropriate treatment for a hernia. Avraham Belizon, MD, FACS, FASCRS, is happy to discuss the merits of surgery, including when and why you might want to consider it to treat one of the common types of hernias found in women.
A hernia is a blanket term for when an internal area in the body, usually an organ, breaks through the muscle or tissue protecting it from the outer layer of the body. This may occur for a number of reasons and may even be something you’ve been likely to develop since birth as a result of weak tissue. It can also occur after physical strain, as noted earlier.
But men aren’t the poster boys for hernias for no reason; in fact, it is more common for men to experience them. This is because of the way men’s anatomies are around the groin area. However, many people think women don’t get hernias at all or that developing one isn’t common, which is untrue.
It’s still important to recognize the symptoms of a hernia if you’re a woman and to be prepared to treat this issue if it occurs. Since there are many types of hernias, we will provide information on the most common in female patients.
An inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia in general. It occurs more commonly in men, but it can occur in women. This type of hernia affects the groin and is typically associated with a bulge that protrudes above the groin. However, when women get this type of hernia, there is usually no bulge, which can make it hard to diagnose.
In women, these hernias often occur when the uterus tissue connects to the tissue around the pubic bone. This can happen as a result of pregnancy and childbirth, but it can also be a factor when a patient has something wrong with her connective tissue.
This type of hernia requires surgery for treatment, but it may not cause any side effects. When this is the case, some patients don’t realize they have one for a long time and may not require treatment immediately.
Umbilical hernias appear near the belly button. These are often associated with pregnancy and childbirth, but being overweight can also increase the likelihood that you’ll experience it, as can a condition like cirrhosis. Because of childbirth and the toll it takes on the body, umbilical hernias are three times more likely to occur in women.
This condition also requires surgery. Patients with pain and discomfort will often seek treatment sooner, while those who don’t experience symptoms might not choose to do so right away. But it’s always important to recognize that hernias don’t go away on their own.
Femoral hernias are slightly more common in women because of where they happen. The femoral canal, which is near the crease in the groin area, is where you’ll find these hernias, and because women have wider pelvises, they often see this type of condition. The same life experiences, issues, and behaviors previously discussed can also cause this condition.
While many of these hernias don’t cause side effects, especially early on, femoral hernias actually have a higher chance of becoming strangulated. This means the blood supply to this area has been cut off. It’s a life-threatening condition that requires treatment immediately, which usually means emergency surgery.
As previously stated, no hernia simply disappears, and every person, man or woman, will need surgery to resolve it. However, if you don’t have severe symptoms — and aren’t likely to any time soon — you may be able to put surgery off for a bit. Still, this is always something you should discuss with a provider.
Want to make an appointment to discuss your hernia? Call us at our Boca Raton, Florida, office today, or book an appointment online. We’re here to help.
