“Do I need surgery?”
My doctor said I have a hernia, but it does not hurt, do I need surgery?
4 Answers
No.
It depends on the type of hernia. In general, Ventral or umbilical hernias should be repaired. Inguinal hernias should be repaired when they become symptomatic or enlarge.
A hernia is a defect or opening that normally does not exist in the body and even though it may cause no pain, there is a potential for problems that could be prevented with surgery. Best to have consultation with a surgeon who does a lot of hernia surgery.
At some point, you will need surgery. All hernias get larger with time, but it may take years before you do. Current recommendations are that we wait until a hernia causes pain to repair it. If the hernia causes a bowel blockage, it needs to be repaired.
