Conservative methods of treatment of inguinal hernia

Many specialists and ordinary people are firmly convinced that the treatment of inguinal hernia without surgery today is something impossible. If the pathology is very pronounced, then the doctors are right: surgery is indispensable. However, many patients noticed that if the disease was caught in the early stages, you can do without surgery.

What techniques should be used in order not to go under the surgeon's knife? What are their features.

What is this disease

Inguinal hernia is a serious disease that many patients ignore for a long time. There is a pathology, both in women and in the representatives of the stronger sex. Moreover, there is no special statistical difference, as doctors say.

The essence of the disease is very simple. The anterior abdominal wall with its components are not strong enough to withstand intra-abdominal pressure during exercise or other influences. As a result, a greasy sac appears between the fibers of the muscles and ligaments, in which the organs of the abdominal wall may be.

Often, the protrusion does not make itself felt for a long time, and patients turn to doctors only when complaints appear.

Namely:

• soreness in the abdomen or directly in the groin;
• feeling as if the contents of the hernial sac in men are moving into the scrotum, and in women into the perineum;
• problems with urination and the process of defecation;
• discomfort while walking.

For men, the development of a hernia in the groin area is also dangerous due to significant problems with potency, which not everyone thinks about until these problems bloom in full color. In women, problems with menstruation, cycle disorders, and the inability to become pregnant are sometimes possible.

What are the consequences if left untreated

Why does an inguinal hernia in adults need to be repaired in a timely manner? The fact is that this disease, which many people think is not so serious, in practice can lead to a large number of complications, which it will definitely not be possible to cope with without a doctor.

These include:

• increased risk of injury (especially if you try to reduce the protrusion on your own or just move unsuccessfully);
• the development of inflammatory processes in the area of ​​defect formation (sometimes the inflammation can be so strong that it cannot be stopped without the help of a surgeon);
• malignization of tissues in the area of ​​hernial protrusion (due to prolonged inflammation, transformation of normal tissues into tumor ones is possible);
• intestinal obstruction, which is formed if a part of the intestine is in the hernial sac, in which feces accumulate;
• infringement of a hernia with the development of an acute pain syndrome, and sometimes subsequent necrosis of organs that are in the area of ​​the defect;
• stagnation of feces, which can lead over time to problems with digestion, hemorrhoids, etc.;
• various problems in the reproductive sphere, which can manifest themselves with a wide variety of symptoms.

If the disease is removed in a timely manner, as soon as its first symptoms appear, complications of various types can not be feared. That is why it is necessary not only to correct the protrusion, if it has formed, but also to prevent its reappearance.

Methods of therapy without surgical interventions

How can an inguinal hernia be treated without surgery? And is it even possible? In principle, if the disease was caught in the early stages of its development, it is quite possible to get rid of it without going under the surgeon's knife. The main thing is to use several methods of conservative therapy at once, since complex treatment gives the best results.

How to cure an inguinal hernia without resorting to surgery? What techniques will help in this difficult matter?  

Wearing a bandage

A bandage is not so much a way to cure an inguinal hernia as an opportunity to prevent relapses and prepare for surgery. However, in the early stages, it is not worth excluding this item from the list of recommended ones.

The bandage is best used in the preoperative period, as well as after it.

It performs the following simple functions:

• prevents the formation of a defect in a vulnerable area in the event that the patient is forced to cope with some kind of physical activity that can lead to exacerbation;
• prevents infringement of hernial protrusion with all its attendant complications;
• prevents the recurrence of the pathology in the event that an operation has recently been performed to eliminate the defect.

Bandage must be chosen wisely. The design should be selected taking into account all individual features. The dimensions of the patient, the comfort of this or that material specifically for him, the model range (bandages of different models have different characteristics) are taken into account.

Naturally, the choice of the optimal bandage for wearing is best done under the supervision of a specialist. He will also be able to assess how effective this technique will be, whether it will help cure inguinal hernial deformity or will be used only as a means of preparing for surgery.

Gymnastics to help

Many patients got rid of their pathology using such a popular method as therapeutic exercises. How to treat an inguinal hernia using exercise therapy and is it possible at home? True, an independent choice of the optimal complex is not recommended, but after consulting a doctor, no one forbids performing it at home.

A repairable groin hernia can be healed by doing the following simple exercises if approved by your doctor.

Among them may be the following:

• having taken a supine position, the patient places a small bag of foot and salt on his stomach, and takes measured breaths, exhalations, while protruding and drawing in his stomach;
• the position is the same, the arms are bent at the elbows and rest on the floor, and the legs are bent at the knees, it is necessary to make slow rises of the pelvis from the floor;
• in the same position, do the “scissors” exercise, crossing slightly raised legs on weight;
• sit on a chair facing the back, putting your hands on it, while inhaling slowly raise the pelvis, focusing on the lower and upper limbs;
• turn your back to the back of the chair, spread your legs, and put your hands on your belt, make slow, gentle torso forward bends while inhaling, and while exhaling, fully straighten your back again.

It is important to remember that exercise therapy techniques can only be used after consultation with a specialist. Moreover, physical education will be effective only if you devote at least 20 minutes a day to it regularly. Otherwise, you should not expect efficiency.

People's recommendations

Folk remedies for getting rid of pathology is another popular approach in the modern world. The popularity of treatment with folk methods is explained by the fact that not all patients want to "poison" chemistry, trying to give preference to natural-based drugs.

There are quite a few effective recipes, including various ointments, wipes, infusions for oral administration.

These include:

• a hernia, a handful of which is thoroughly washed, held for 10-15 minutes over boiling water, and then applied to the defect for 30-40 minutes. Repeating the procedure regularly twice a day;
• nettle, 10 leaves of which are mixed with sour cream and the resulting mixture, applied to the protrusion, covered with a cabbage leaf and left overnight, the course of treatment is up to 30 days;
• clover tincture, which is taken orally, holding a handful of inflorescences in a water bath, and then letting them brew for 4-4.5 hours;
• cornflower tincture, which is prepared by adding boiling water to a tablespoon of inflorescences and infusion for an hour, and then drink the solution daily, one teaspoon three times a day for 30 days;
• as a rubbing, you can use ordinary vinegar, which is used in a ratio of 1:10 for rubbing into a sore spot.

It is important to remember that treatment with folk methods can be carried out only after consulting a doctor. This is necessary to avoid allergic reactions and other consequences.

massage therapy

A technique that, although it cannot be used at home, but which has proven itself well in the treatment of hernial protrusions, is massage. Independently or with the help of relatives, if they do not have a special education, it, of course, cannot be applied. But you can contact a specialist in this field who can help in the fight against the disease.

Before a session with a masseuse, it is imperative to discuss the features of the diagnosed pathology, telling her about the doctor's conclusion, disturbing symptoms and other important features of the disease. This will help the professional to choose the most optimal massage tactics and apply it with the greatest effect.

During the massage, it is important to carefully listen to your feelings. This is necessary to avoid unforeseen complications that can develop if a person experiences discomfort during manipulation, but ignores it, being afraid for some reason to inform his massage therapist about it.

Physiotherapy

Surgery is not the only way to cure an inguinal hernia. Various means of physiotherapy can help in the fight against the disease, especially if it is complicated by an infectious process.

You can use, for example, laser therapy or UHF. Treatment with ultraviolet light will contribute to the regeneration processes in the skin in the event that the patient has recently undergone surgery. If the patient has problems with the gastrointestinal tract, and they are aggravated due to the presence of a hernia, mud therapy, paraffin therapy or dynamic therapy can be performed.

Is it possible to cure an inguinal hernia only with the help of physiotherapy procedures? No, such treatment, if it is the only means of influence, is likely to be ineffective. But in combination with other methods, it showed itself perfectly, which allows it to be used during the rehabilitation period, as well as as an auxiliary method.

Treatment of inguinal hernia with folk remedies and other non-surgical methods in modern medical practice is not very widespread. This is explained by the fact that inguinal hernia is rarely diagnosed in the early stages of development, when conservative methods are still effective.

If the protrusion was detected when it had just begun to develop, it is worth trying to cope with it using conservative methods.

However, if the effectiveness of conservative therapy remains invisible for several months, it is better to turn to surgeons. Surgical intervention can solve the problem with a hernia, albeit radically, but once and for all! At the same time, the risk of any complications or recurrence of the disease with proper rehabilitation will be minimized, which is also very important.