Hernias: Causes, Symtomps and Treatment
To easily understand what a hernia is, just imagine a tire with inner tube: if the outside of the rim is weakened, the camera will be affected. A hernia occurs when the outer layer of a cavity in the body is weakened, distorted and stretched.
The human body is divided into cavities enveloped by a tough outer wall made of muscle and fascia. The exterior walls have several holes that allow the passage of blood vessels and other structures. The inside of the cavity is covered by a membrane called the peritoneum. The peritoneum is similar to the tire chamber.
If the outer layer weakens, the inner starts pushing through the weakened openings and then forms a bulge or protrusion called hernia sac.
The larger chamber cavity of the human body is the abdominal cavity, and is the more prone part to hernias. It is easy for the abdominal wall to break or weaken. So it may be that organs like the bowel loops and abdominal tissues (such as the omentum) may move from its original position until the hernia sac. The areas around the groin holes are particularly susceptible to femoral hernias.
Umbilical hernias occur in the umbilicus, incisional hernias occur in older surgical wounds.
Who can get a hernia?
Anyone with weak outer layers in their cavities. Hernias can occur at any age.
Causes of hernias
- Surgery, shock or injury, overstretching of a muscle due severe physical exertion, sneezing and sometimes even hard movements.
- Poor feeding habits such as sloppy and sedentary lifestyle, which does not help the tissue to be elastic, strong and healthy.
- Overweight, exhaustion and weakening of the strength of the tissue due to excess weight.
- Too much responsibility, stress, worries, work, etc., are emotional attitudes that predispose to hernias because of wear caused by these emotions inside.
- The children's hernias are usually congenital, resulting from the weakness of the wall at birth.
- In adults, most hernias are acquired because the exterior walls of the cavities are weakened. In the case of abdominal hernias, internal organs continue to push the hernia sac causing increase in the size of the hernia with the passage of time.
- Hiatal hernia happens at the point where the esophagus crosses the diaphragm. In this place called hiatus. When this hole is bigger than usual, it allows the stomach migrates to the thorax and is associated with gastro-esophageal reflux.
Symptoms of hernias
- There is a lump under the skin.
- Pain when physical exertion or when coughing or stretching the body.
Why should I take care for a hernia?
Because when it appears, it tends to grow and increase in size, which could result in increasingly severe complication. In this case, the bowel or tissue may be trapped and seriously disrupt digestion. Also, if the gut is strangulated, intestinal loops will eventually die, and face the risk of gangrene, endangering life.
Natural treatment
- The first thing to consider is to lose weight if the person is obese, overweight doesn’t allow a proper healing of the hernia and only aggravates and accentuates it quickly. You should do a strict cleansing diet to remove fat and toxins and help tissues to strengthen with quality food such as vegetables, grains and supplements such as spirulina, vegetable oil and milk.
- Once you have confirmed that there is a hernia, it is necessary to avoid exaggerated physical exertion and don’t overload the stomach with food if the hernia is in the area of the abdomen.
- When the contents of the hernia sac can easily move to its original site, there is no immediate danger. However, one of the treatments in case of advanced hernia is surgery and the placement of a mesh. You need surgery if you have pain or discomfort in hernias that may be in a higher risk of complications and in cases of incarceration or strangulation (when the contents of the hernia loses its blood supply due to prolonged entrapment).
It is necessary to maintain a proper diet for early recovery in case of surgical intervention, and we must continue daily diet, avoiding products such as flour or refined sugars, cow's milk and derivatives. You should minimize consumption of red meat and try to increase consumption of vegetables and pure water. It’s recommended to practice some physical activity to help maintain well-oxygenated and nourished the body's tissues. Yoga can be an excellent alternative.
Herbal treatment for heartburn caused by hernias
This treatment works also as an alternative to relax muscles and abdominal tissues.
The aloe juice is an excellent remedy for the stomach, relaxes and helps also to fight gastritis, heartburn and gastric ulcer. Helps evacuate bile congested. You should take the juice mixed with water, and if consumed in tablets, don’t exceed the dose of o.5 gm.
Infusions of chamomile, peppermint, rosemary, sage and bay leaves are very effective against gastric reflux caused by hernias.