Inguinal hernia symptoms, women suffer more

Hernia is a disease that is mostly related to development and is divided into internal hernia and indirect hernia. It is common in men. Women rarely suffer from this disease, but once they do, it is very painful. Not only does the hernia itself pass, but there is also more severe pain during menstruation. So how can we make an accurate judgment?

1. There is varying degrees of weakness or defect in the transverse abdominal fascia.

2. Hypoplasia of the transverse abdominal muscle and internal oblique muscle also plays an important role in this disease.

Contraction of the transverse abdominal fascia and transverse abdominal muscle can pull the interconcave ligament upward and outward, while closing the deep inguinal ring deep to the internal oblique muscle. If the transverse abdominal fascia and transverse abdominal muscle are underdeveloped, this protective function cannot be exerted and hernia is likely to occur.

3. In women, the round ligament of the uterus passes through the inguinal canal, so there is also a similar peritoneal protrusion that descends into the labia majora. If it is not closed, an indirect hernia may also form.

4. In addition, congenital dysplasia leading to physiological closure mechanism defects of the inguinal canal is also one of the important causes of inguinal oblique hernia.

1. Inguinal mass: An important clinical manifestation of inguinal oblique hernia is a protruding mass in the groin area. In the early stage, the lump is small and may be limited to the groin area. As the disease progresses, the lump gradually increases in size and enters the scrotum, forming a typical inguinal oblique hernia mass with a narrow upper end that slants outward into the inguinal canal and a wide and plump lower end, similar to a pear-shaped mass. The lump of reducible inguinal hernia often appears when standing, walking, working or coughing, and it will automatically retract when resting quietly or lying down, or disappear after manual massage. Irreducible inguinal oblique hernia is caused by frequent friction between the hernia contents and the inner wall of the hernia, which causes mild inflammation and gradually forms adhesions between the two, so that the hernia contents cannot be completely pushed back into the abdominal cavity. Therefore, the lump only shrinks to varying degrees, but does not completely disappear with changes in body position or abdominal pressure. It is common in patients with long-term illness and large hernia sac.

2. Local distension and pain: Reducible inguinal hernia usually has no special symptoms except a lump in the groin area, and may occasionally cause local distension and pain, or even dull pain in the upper abdomen or around the navel. Irreducible inguinal hernia is manifested by varying degrees of soreness and a feeling of heaviness. These symptoms occur when the lump appears and are relieved when the lump disappears.

3. Indigestion or chronic constipation: This symptom is more common in sliding inguinal hernia. Since organs such as the cecum, sigmoid colon or bladder have become part of the hernia sac, patients often have some digestive tract symptoms such as "indigestion" and chronic constipation, as well as a feeling of incomplete urination. Sliding hernias generally have huge lumps, which are more common in men over 40 years old, and the right side is more common than the left side.

The clinical symptoms of reducible hernia may vary depending on the size of the hernia sac and the presence or absence of complications. The basic symptom is the appearance of a reducible mass in the groin area. The mass is small at first and only appears when the patient stands, works, walks, runs, coughs violently, or when a baby cries. The mass will shrink on its own and disappear when lying flat or pressed with the hand. Generally there is no special discomfort, only occasionally accompanied by local distension and referred pain. As the disease progresses, the lump may gradually increase in size and descend from the groin to the scrotum or labia majora, making walking difficult and affecting labor. The tumor is pear-shaped with a pedicle, narrow at the upper end and wide at the lower end.

Inguinal hernia in adults

The clinical manifestations of irreducible indirect hernia include slightly severe distension and pain. Its main feature is that the hernia cannot be completely reduced.

Incarcerated hernias often occur when there is a sudden increase in intra-abdominal pressure, such as during strenuous labor or defecation, and are usually indirect hernias. Clinically, it is often manifested as a sudden increase in the hernia mass, accompanied by obvious pain. The lump cannot be retracted by lying flat or pushing it with hands. The lump is tense and hard, and there is obvious tenderness. If the incarcerated content is the greater omentum, the local pain is often mild. If it is an intestinal loop, not only is the local pain obvious, but it may also be accompanied by clinical manifestations of mechanical intestinal obstruction such as abdominal colic, nausea, vomiting, cessation of bowel movements and flatulence, and abdominal distension. Once a hernia is incarcerated, it has little chance of retracting on its own; in most patients, symptoms gradually worsen and, if not treated promptly, will develop into a strangulated hernia. Incarcerated intestinal wall hernia (Richter's hernia) is easily overlooked because the local mass is not obvious and does not necessarily present with symptoms of intestinal obstruction [1].