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Jul27

How Are Abdominal Hernias Diagnosed?

Hernias are caused when an organ pushes its way through an opening present in the muscle or tissue that holds the organ in place. They are most common within the abdomen region since that region is susceptible to damage in certain individuals. They may also develop in regions of upper thighs, belly button and groin. Even though most hernias aren’t life threatening yet it’s essential for an individual to seek aid as quickly as possible in case a hernia is detected to avoid dangerous complications later on.

Some Common Types of Hernias

Inguinal
They are the most common type of hernias that are experienced by individuals. They are mainly caused when intestines push their way through a weak spot within the lower abdominal wall. In men, inguinal hernias occur near the region of the spermatic chord which links abdomen and scrotum. In women, inguinal canal is known to contain a ligament whose function is to keep the uterus in place.

It occurs more in men than females because man’s testicles sink through the inguinal canal soon after his birth and canal normally closes once the testicles have fallen. At times this canal doesn’t get shut completely which makes the canal vulnerable to hernias.

Hiatal
This sort of a hernia is known to occur when an individual’s stomach protrudes upward towards the diaphragm into the chest region. Diaphragm primarily separates organs within one’s abdomen region from those within the chest.
It commonly occurs within individuals who are above the age of 50 years. In a child it may be caused due to a congenital defect. These hernias mostly cause gastroesophageal reflux which results in the leakage of stomach contents back into the esophagus leading to a burning sensation.

Umbilical

This hernia is a common occurrence within infants and babies and easily visible near a child’s bellybutton especially when a child cries.

It’s the only hernia that may subside on its own within a year’s duration. If the bulge doesn’t dissolve a surgery may be required to correct the same.

Incisional

These hernias are a result of surgeries that may have been conducted within the abdominal region. In this type of hernia the intestines may push through the scar or any weakened tissue resulting in an incisional hernia.

How are hernias diagnosed?

A doctor may be easily able to diagnose a inguinal hernia or an incisional hernia based on a physical examination of the individual. He may feel for bulges that may be present within one’s abdomen or groin region when one may stand, cough or strain his/her body.

Detection of a hiatal hernia isn’t easy. It usually is detected with the help of barium X-ray or better known as endoscopy. This procedure lets the doctors examine the location of one’s stomach within his/her body. It provides with numerous vivid barium X-ray images of the digestive tract once an individual has consumed a solution that contains barium. This procedure takes the help of a small camera that’s attached to a tube and then put down one’s throat to obtain images of the esophagus region and that of the stomach.

Ultrasound may be used to detect an umbilical hernia within children. It primarily makes use of high frequency waves to form images of organs and anatomy of the body.

Posted 27 Jul, 2015

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