Is hernia hurting normal?

[AmandaPatt]

Hi, I am being treated for an unrelated illness. While at my most recent appointment with my doctor, while examining my abdomen, he casually mentioned I had a hernia. He didn't seem concerned about it at all...didn't tell me to do anything about it, didn't give me any advice. He just said "you have a hernia". I have been so concerned with my other illness, and didn't really know exactly what a hernia was, that I decided to just put it on the back burner and worry about it later. Especially since the doctor seemed extremely unconcerned. Well, that was about two months ago, and just recently (within the past week), the area with the hernia is hurting. It didn't hurt before. it's a pain that comes for about two seconds, then leaves for a few seconds to a minute, then comes again. it's continuously doing this. It is not intolerable pain, just a bit uncomfortable. The reason I'm posting this is to ask if it's normal for it to hurt. Should I be concerned? What does the fact that it just started hurting indicate? How will I know if it becomes an emergency situation? Thanks so much for any help and advice.

[Christopher R Watters, MD]

You don't need a second opinion. You need a first opinion from someone who fixes hernias. I can't begin to count the number of patients that I have emergently operated on for incarcerated or strangulated hernias because some misinformed primary care doc gave them the brilliant advice to do nothing "unless it starts to bother you". Unfortunately, the first problem was a life threatening one. Hernias don't go away. They don't get smaller. They are easier to repair when they are smaller. Patients tend to go from more healthy to less healthy over time. Why take something from a very low risk of repair and maximize your chances for a bad outcome by delaying repair?

[dianajune]

It's normal for hernias to feel sore or hurt.  That it's feeling worse makes me suggest that you see your doctor again, or another one for a second opinion.  I take it he didn't order any tests?

I've had three hernias, the most recent of which was diagnosed last night.  The first one was strangulated and I had a bowel resection.  The second one was incarcerated, and the last one is, from what I was told in the ER, too large to get incarcerated or strangulated.  I have to call my former surgeon tomorrow and perhaps go in for another surgical consult.

How have your bowels been working?  Are you having any issues there?  If you're having trouble going, and this started around the time the hernia was found, it would be a good idea to see a doctor before it turns into an emergency.  Trust me, you don't want to let this go.

When a hernia is incarcerated (I think this means when the bowel is stuck in the hernia but is still working to some degree), or strangulated (meaning the bowel was stuck for so long and to such an extent that some tissue died) you will experience extreme pain, possibly vomiting as well and fever.  This has been my experience anyway.

I'm no doctor, but I would suggest you see a physician and get some tests done, inc. an abdominal ct scan.

Please keep us posted on how you're doing.