Hernia Trouble

      I've always heard people say "you're gonna give me a hernia" when they are laughing really hard or if they are lifting something heavy. I never understood what they were talking about. I thought there was only one type of hernia in one place in your body. I couldn't have been more wrong. I am going to explain what a hernia is and a few different types of hernias.

What is a hernia?
      The overall definition of a hernia is a condition where part of an organ is displaced and protrudes through the wall of the cavity around it.

Who can get a hernia?
      Anyone can get a hernia at any age but people with the greatest risk of getting one are people who:

• are over the age of 35
• are men 
• are overweight 
• smoke 
• have injuries 
• do heavy lifting 
• are born with a weakness

      There are many, many types of hernias. The most common hernia is the inguinal hernia which is located in the groin. There are two ways you can get a hernia. One is by a weakness in the muscles or in connective tissues. That is caused by a problem with the natural breakdown and repair of tissue. The second way is by strain or pressure on a weakened area. 

Hiatal hernias

     The hiatal hernia is one of the most misunderstood and maligned conditions in medicine. A hiatal hernia is caused when part of the stomach protrudes into the esophagus through an opening in the diaphragm. This is the kind of hernia that I have. Some are worse than others but mine is just a small one. More severe hiatal hernias require surgery but there is not much you can do about slight hiatal hernias like mine. Although it is only "slight" it sure can cause a lot of pain and problems. 

Some symptoms include:

• Heartburn
• Fatigue
• Difficulty swallowing
• Chest pain radiating from below the breastbone
• Shortness of breath