Types of Hernia and How to Treat Them

Last update : 03 Avr 2026

A hernia is a common medical condition that is seen in people of different age groups. You need to understand the treatment procedures, which vary from one type to another. 

A hernia is an opening in the abdominal wall that accounts for protruding soft tissues (fat or intestine) to protrude through the abdominal muscles and occupy the space under the skin. The majority of hernia types occur in any abdominal organ that pushes through the walls of the abdominal cavity. 

As of 2023, the age-specific mortality rate of hernia at all ages was 1.3 in Canada. The incidence rate has increased over the years, and that indicates the need for adopting proper treatments. With early diagnosis and treatment, you can prevent severe complications, and achieve better surgical results. This blog evaluates different hernia types and the treatment procedures. 

What Causes a Hernia?

A hernia occurs when there is a weakness in the muscles or connective tissues that hold internal organs in place. Here are the common causes.

1. Congenital weakness: Often, babies are born with a congenital predisposition to hernias. This indicates that they have a natural weakness in their abdominal muscles. This develops into a hernia later.
2. Ageing: Your muscles and connective tissues weaken as you age. This contributes to the formation of a hernia, especially in the abdominal wall.
3. Obesity: Excess body weight puts pressure on the abdominal muscles. This enhances the risk of hernias.
4. Chronic coughing: People suffering from COPD deal with persistent coughing. This increases intra-abdominal pressure, which leads to a hernia.

What are the Main Risk Factors of a Hernia?

You are likely to contract a hernia if you:

1. Suffer from chronic cough and sneezing
2. Experience chronic constipation and straining to relieve your bladder or have bowel movements
3. Are involved in work requiring lifting heavy objects
4. Are obese

What are the Common Hernia Locations? 

A hernia can be seen in different sites. These include:

1. In the lower chest through the diaphragm
2. In the groin through the lower abdominal wall
3. Along the front midline of the abdomen

Hernias: Top Symptoms to Consider 

The symptoms of a hernia vary depending on the type and its location. Let’s see the common ones. 

1. Lump or Bulge: A visible lump at any hernia location is a key symptom of hernia disease. This can become more pronounced when you stand or cough and can disappear when lying down.
2. Pain or discomfort: Are you feeling any pressure or aching in any hernia site? If yes, this can be any type of hernia. Well, the pain can radiate to the surrounding area.
3. Heaviness: Often, people experience a sense of heaviness in the affected area. This is a probable hernia symptom.
4. Burning: If you are facing any burning sensation in any of the hernia locations, then you might have developed the condition. All you need to do is seek medical help, as you might need a hernia surgery.

What are the Different Types of Hernias?

Hernias are of different types. 

Table 1: Common Hernia Types 

Let’s discuss the different types in detail. 

Inguinal Hernia

This is the most common hernia type that accounts for 75% of all hernias. An inguinal hernia occurs when a part of the bowel protrudes into the inguinal canal. The fundamental reason behind this disease is that your abdominal tissue pushes through an opening in the lower abdominal wall. 

Hiatal Hernia 

A hiatal hernia develops when the upper area of the stomach bulges through an opening in your diaphragm. This form of hernia pushes through an already existing weakness in the diaphragm. This is a common condition for old people. 

Incisional Hernia 

This type of hernia happens when any section of your intestine or tissue pushes through weak abdominal muscles at a surgical site. Incisional hernia is one of the common open abdominal surgery complications. As per a report, around 20% of individuals with a laparotomy develop this hernia. 

Umbilical Hernia

An umbilical hernia is a tissue bulge that you can see on or near your belly button. This develops when a part of the small intestine combines with fluid or fat, creates a sac. The formed sac pushes through an opening in the muscles of the abdominal wall. 

Femoral Hernia

This is a rare hernia type that happens slightly above the crease in your groin. The occurrence of a femoral hernia is due to the poking of tissue or intestine through the muscles and into the femoral canal. In certain cases, this hernia type remains asymptomatic.

How is a Hernia Diagnosed?

A physical examination is often sufficient to diagnose a hernia, depending on the type. If not enough, your doctor can go for an ultrasound or a CT scan. Well, an endoscopy is preferred to diagnose a hiatal hernia. 

Treating Hernia: What are the Top Options?

There are several surgical as well as non-surgical treatment options for hernias. Let’s find out.

Non-surgical Management 

The common non-surgical procedures are as follows.  

1. Watchful waiting: This refers to monitoring a hernia closely without going for surgery. This is a safe option for the hernia types that are asymptomatic. Often, patients opt for any treatment if pain increases.
 
2. Lifestyle modification: A change in your daily diet can be helpful to treat hernias. You need to eat smaller meals and ignore spicy foods. Quit smoking and don’t go to bed immediately after eating. This non-surgical option works well for a hiatal hernia.
 
3. Medications: Medicines do not treat most of the hernia types, but can manage symptoms. Meanwhile, patients suffering from a hiatal hernia are given antacids, PPIs, and H2 blockers to combat acid reflux.

Surgical Procedures

Around 20 million hernia surgeries are performed globally every year. You need to rely on a specific surgical hernia operation to treat different forms of hernia. Here are the main surgical procedures.

1. Open surgery: This is one of the common surgical methods where a single incision is made to operate on the herniated tissue. The organs and tissues are kept back into place, and the surgeon uses surgical instruments for stitching the tissues back together. They might opt for surgical mesh for tissue reinforcement. This is effective in treating an inguinal or umbilical hernia.
 
2. Laparoscopic surgery: Referring to this surgical process, three or four tiny cuts are made by the surgeon to operate. A thin tube is inserted with a tiny video camera, and the images of your inside are projected onto a screen. This is followed by the insertion of surgical instruments into the other incisions to repair the condition. This surgery is recommended to treat a femoral or incisional hernia.
 
3. Robotic surgery: In this surgery type, robotic surgical instruments are used for the operation. This is highly advantageous for treating complex hernia cases. Your doctor works at a console, thereby driving the technology that is used to repair the weakened tissue. A robotic surgery is performed for an incisional hernia.

What are the Recovery Times for Hernia Surgery?

You don’t need to wait even for a couple of months to recover from any surgical hernia operation. A recovery timeline is given. 

Table 2: Recovery Timeline of Hernia Surgery

What are the Possible Complications of Hernia?

If left untreated, a hernia can turn into:

1. Incarcerated hernia
2. Strangulated hernia
3. Chronic pain

Preventing Hernia: Key Tips to Consider 

Here are some of the tips that help you in developing a hernia.  

1. Maintain a healthy weight
2. Adopt proper weight-lifting techniques
3. Engage in core strengthening exercises
4. Don’t ignore chronic cough and constipation

When to Worry about Hernia Pain?

Hernia pain is not so unbearable. Meanwhile, there are some instances when you need to consult a doctor. Like: 

1. Sudden and severe pain
2. Bulge turning red or dark
3. Nausea or vomiting

To Conclude 

A hernia is caused due to congenital weakness, obesity, ageing, etc. The different types of hernia are inguinal hernia, hiatal hernia, umbilical hernia, etc. The different surgery procedures are open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and robotic surgery. You can recover from a surgery within six weeks.

Getting Your Hernia Treated?  

We are a reputable private medical clinic in Canada, an expert in surgical procedures. Visit your nearest clinic for an expert consultation and find the ideal treatment for your hernia type. Get it treated before it gets worse.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

1. Do Hernia Symptoms Differ in Men and Women?

Hernia symptoms do not usually differ with gender. Well, there are some exceptions. For example, a groin hernia can slip down in sex organs and it can cause visible scrotal swelling in the testicles. Also, femoral hernias are mainly seen in females. 

2. Is Hernia Surgery Serious?

The complexity of hernia surgery depends on its type. A surgical procedure can range from 30 minutes under local anesthesia to an 8 to 10-hour complex reconstruction. You need to rely on a renowned clinic to get your surgery done seamlessly. 

3. Why Do Surgeons Use Mesh in Hernia Surgery?

You develop a hernia in the weakness areas of the abdominal wall. To obtain an effective repair, bringing together weak tissue is not enough. Mesh is used for reinforcing weak tissue. 

4. Can a Hernia Recur After Surgery? 

Yes, a hernia can recur even after surgical interventions. If you continue smoking, wounds will take longer to heal. The recurrence can be seen if you lift too much weight on the body, and that puts constant strain on the abdominal wall.