A hernia occurs when an organ or fatty tissue squeezes through a weak spot in surrounding muscle or connective tissue. They often occur in weaker areas—like the abdominal wall or groin. While some hernias may be present at birth or develop due to risk factors such as obesity or smoking, some hernias can result from situational factors, including strangulated, congenital, incisional and spigelian.
 

In some instances, a hernia may become incarcerated, which means the abdominal content is trapped and can no longer be pushed back into its natural place. Hernias may also become strangulated, where the blood flow is cut off, causing severe pain; nausea or vomiting may also develop. If this occurs, seek immediate medical attention.¹

People who have strangulated hernias may experience the following symptoms:

• A sudden onset of pain that intensifies quickly
• Bulge turns red, purple, or dark in color
• Nausea or involuntary vomiting
• Bloody stool 
• Tenderness at the site of the bulge/hernia 
• Fever and/or fatigue

There are two types of congenital hernias:

• Congenital umbilical hernias (CUH) occur in about 15% of newborns, mostly in the umbilical/navel area. A congenital umbilical hernia will often close on its own as your child grows, but sometimes it won’t. In this case, your child will need umbilical hernia repair.³
• Congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDH), which are far more severe and far less common than CUH, occur when there is a disruption in the formation of the diaphragm and a hole forms during a fetus’s development in the womb. This can result in organs (like the bowel, stomach, or liver) moving into the chest cavity and can cause respiratory complications.² All babies with a CDH need surgery to gently move their abdominal organs down from their chest. Surgery may be performed a few days to a few weeks after birth (the timing depends on what is safest for the baby).⁴

Read Hernias in Babies and Children →
 

After abdominal surgery, approximately 1 in 3 patients develop an incisional hernia. These hernias result from a weakening of the abdominal muscle due to a surgical incision and often to occur three to six months post-surgery but can happen at any time.⁵

Incisional hernias make up about 10% of hernias with common risk factors such as:³

• Excessive or premature physical activity after surgery. 
• Gaining considerable weight.
• Becoming pregnant.
• Other increased abdominal pressure before the incision is fully healed.

Specific treatment for an incisional hernia will be determined by your doctor and depends on multiple factors including your general health, anatomy, extent and location of the hernia, and desired level of future physical activity. The treatment will also depend on whether the hernia has negatively affected the results of the original surgery—potentially requiring additional procedures before the hernia can be closed.

Read Hernia Types: Incisional Hernias →

A rare type of hernia, Spigelian Hernias, occur when a slit-like opening occurs in the layer of tissue (spigelian fascia) that separates the two muscle groups at the front of the abdomen. It usually affects the intestines and layer of tissue that lies over the abdominal organs (omentum).

Spigelian hernias make up 0.12% to 2% of abdominal wall (ventral) hernias. They can be caused by factors including:

• Chronic coughing
• Liver cirrhosis with fluid collection (ascites)
• Pregnancy
• Obesity
• Constipation/prolonged straining
• Abdominal injury

Spigelian hernia treatment should be planned as soon as it’s diagnosed.

Multiple surgical approaches can be used to repair your hernia, but choosing the right one for you depends on your surgeon’s preference, your hernia type, and your unique situation.

Read Hernia Types: Ventral Hernias →