The stomach and abdomen area is a common spot for hernias.
A hernia is when an organ or fatty tissue falls out of place or sticks out of its thin enclosing membrane. It's common for people to believe that hernias only occur when they're lifting very heavy items, but this is not the case. A hernia can occur when lifting virtually anything, or because of anything that causes physical stress on your body. Usually, a doctor can push your hernia back into place. In more severe cases, surgery is required to repair the abdominal wall.
Inguinal Hernia
The inguinal hernia is more commonly known as a hernia of the groin. As one of the most common hernias, it happens 75 percent more often in males than in females. There are two different types of inguinal hernias: indirect and direct. An indirect hernia will appear as a bulge in the scrotum area. A direct hernia will happen in the same area, only will usually not protrude into the scrotum.
Femoral Hernia
The femoral hernia is when your intestines drop down the path of your femoral artery. This is where the femoral major vein leads from your heart to your legs. It's a small path and usually won't allow for a hernia, but sometimes it will expand and allow for the intestines to push through. This type of hernia is more common in females than males, and it is at a higher risk of being irreversible, meaning the doctors won't be able to push the intestines back into place.
Umbilical Hernia
The umbilical hernia usually occurs in newborn babies and is noted when the belly button sticks out because the abdominal wall didn't close at birth when it normally does. The abdominal organs will push through this wall and create a small hernia that is usually painless. It can also happen with pregnant women or those who have just given birth. The abdominal wall will usually heal itself and no intervention is necessary.
Incisional Hernia
An incisional hernia happens after having abdominal surgery that weakened the abdominal wall. Although this can be repaired easily, it may happen more frequently because the wall will always be weaker than it once was.
Obturator Hernia
While many hernias are quite common, the obturator hernia is rare and happens mainly in females when organs or tissue go through an opening in the pelvis. While there won't be anything visible on the outside, it will feel like constipation and may cause you to throw up.
Epigastric Hernia
These hernias happen in the middle abdomen above the belly button. These hernias are almost always caused by tissue and not intestines and are not painful. Often, this type of hernia appears at birth and can heal on its own. However, surgery may be needed if the hernia doesn't heal in a few weeks or months. Surgery on infants is usually held off until the baby is around 2 years old.
