If you think you have developed a hernia – or if your doctor has officially diagnosed a hernia – you may have been told that you need surgery. Indeed, surgery is by far the most commonly prescribed method of treating this condition.
Regardless of whether your hernia is a hernia or other type, pain may or may not occur with the hernia. And you can tell that it comes and goes: sometimes you can see it, sometimes you can’t.
In hernia surgery, only a small incision is made near the hernia site. In most cases, the surgeon places a plastic net where the hernia appeared and then sews it back together. The net remains in place for the rest of the patient’s life without the risk of rejection by the body.
But what if you want to avoid surgery altogether: are there alternatives?
Alternatives to hernia surgery? A look at the facts
If you want to avoid hernia surgery and are instead looking for alternatives to surgery, consider the following facts:
- Some reputable studies have recommended that patients with certain types of hernias can engage in what is known as “watchful waiting”. This means that surgery must be avoided to see if the disease heals on its own. And some people with hernias have claimed that their hernias healed after a period of fasting and yoga.
- Most hernia surgeons, however, strongly warn against the wait-and-see approach and self-healing. Reason: The body can have serious complications while leaving the hernia unattended, such as: B. intestinal incarcerations (getting stuck in the muscle) or strangulations that lead to infections or even death. And of course there is no guarantee that the hernia will heal.
- Hernia surgery is the safest and most recommended option for treating your hernia – even if your hernia is not currently painful or not always visible.
Hernia operations are very common and have very high success rates. It requires a moderate postoperative recovery time, during which the level of activity and certain movements need to be reduced so that the body has a chance of healing. While there are indications that some people have successfully waited for the hernia, in most doctors’ opinion this is definitely not the most recommended route.