“Can coughing damage hernia repair?”
My friend is 55 years old, and he just had a hernia repair and complications from his intestine. What are the risks to healing after you have surgery for a hernia? Can coughing damage hernia repair?
2 Answers
Yes, it causes increased abdominal pressure.
Anything that increases pressure in the abdomen puts you at risk for a hernia recurrence. This includes obesity, coughing (either in smokers or from allergies), constipation (straining to have a bowel movement), men with prostate problems that strain to urinate, or repetitive heavy lifting. Avoidance of these can help decrease the risk of a recurrence.
