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Health Fix: Symptoms and treatment of Hernias

Posted at 4:43 PM, Nov 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-16 18:54:09-05

A hernia is the bulging of an organ or tissue through an abdominal opening. They are extremely common and easy to diagnose and treat.

Dr. Justin Atherton of Salt Lake Regional Medical Center states that hernias are something that people can be born with and have their entire lives. He also outlined the main symptoms of hernias and how they are treated.

Symptoms: 

  • The most obvious is a bulge in the abdominal or groin area
  • Burning or sharp pain in the area
  • Discomfort when lifting or bending over
  • Constipation or blood in stool
  • Feeling of fullness
  • Nausea or vomiting if bowel is obstructed

While often times the pain when experiencing a hernia can be a nagging nuisance, like a two out of ten, but sometimes the pain can be intolerable at a 10.

There are many misconceptions about the treatment of hernias, as people often think that weight loss, diet and exercise can help treat them, but unfortunately the only way to get rid of them is surgery. The positive aspect is that medicine has progressed to the point where the surgery is now as minimally invasive as possible. Dr. Atherton explains that the best treatment for a hernia is the new DaVinci Surgery for the following reasons:

DaVinci Treatment: 

  • Minimally invasive
  • 3D HD view of the surgical site
  • Surgeon has enhanced precision and control
  • Decreased rate of hernia returning
  • Decreased pain
  • Shorter hospital stay
  • Shorter recovery time

For more information, visit Salt Lake Regional Medical Center's website here.