Hernias are very common, people can live a perfectly normal life with a hernia or bulge in the abdominal wall without ever needing a surgical intervention. Hernias can occur following surgery along the area where you may have been operated on, these are called incisional hernias, others are called umbilical hernias, in and around the belly button, others are called parastomal hernias, in and around or behind a stoma. Most however do not need surgery. In some instances they can cause issues if they get bigger such as pain, a dragging sensation, swelling, reduced mobility, body image issues, and in some rare cases strangulation which is a medical emergency. In fact up to 70% of Ostomates will develop one.
What can cause them?
- Heavy lifting
- Being overweight
- Smoking
- Coughing and sneezing
- Steroids
- Persistant cough.
The good news is you can do something to help your body and mind deal with an abdominal bulge or hernia. Research tells us that those who were physically active and wore support garments were less likely to report having a hernia.
