5 Surprising Causes of Hernias to Have on Your Radar
This is far from the only surprising way people can develop a hernia.
The health issue needs to be corrected with surgery.
Getting a hernia sounds like the opposite of a good time, so people paid attention when Suki Waterhouse recently revealed that she got one from wearing tight pants.
''Suki you never tweet anymore,'' she wrote on X. 'Have you ever considered I wore pants so tight 6 months ago it caused a hernia & I've been too scared to tell you?' The Daisy Jones & the Six star also shared a photo of herself onstage wearing second-skin pants and lying in what appears to be a hospital bed.
While most people have at least heard of a hernia before, the details surrounding what they are and what causes them may be a little vague. Can you actually get a hernia from wearing tight pants? According to doctors we spoke with, this is actually a thing. With that in mind, these are the most surprising causes of hernias to have on your radar—for the just in case, of course.
Meet the experts: Mir Ali, M.D., is medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA; Jennifer Wider, M.D., is a women's health expert and author of The New Mom's Survival Guide; Christine Greves, M.D., is an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida.
What is a hernia?
A hernia is a sac that's formed by the lining of the abdominal cavity, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This sac comes through a hole or weak area in a layer of the abdomen wall called the fascia that surrounds the muscle.
There are several types of hernias, and they're usually identified by their location and cause, according to Mir Ali, M.D., medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. The most common type is an inguinal hernia, which is a bulging of contents of the abdomen through a weak area in the lower abdominal wall, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
However, you can also get a femoral hernia (in the upper thigh), hiatal hernia (in the diaphragm muscle), incisional hernia (through a scar from abdominal surgery), and umbilical hernia (around the belly button).
People may have no symptoms from a hernia outside of a visible bulge under the skin, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. But some people may feel discomfort, pain, heaviness, or a burning feeling, per the NIDDK. Symptoms may also get worse when you strain, lift, cough, or stand for a long periods of time.
As hernias grow, the small intestine may get stuck in the hole and lose its blood supply in a complication known as a strangulated hernia. This is life-threatening and may cause symptoms like sudden and severe pain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting, according to the NIDDK.
Surprising causes of hernias
Any activity or medical issue that increases pressure on the stomach wall and muscles may lead to a hernia, Dr. Ali says. Lifting heavy objects is a big potential cause of a hernia—it can put pressure on the abdominal wall, straining the muscles and tissues in the area and leading to a weakening or tear if you go well beyond your usual capacity or don't use proper lifting technique, Dr. Ali explains. Having obesity also doubles the risk of a hernia. This is because excess weight puts constant pressure on the abdominal wall, which can make it more likely for weak spots to form, creating a hernia, Dr. Ali explains.
But there are other causes that aren't as well known. Keep these in mind.
Allergies
Having a chronic cough or chronic sneezing from allergies or another upper respiratory condition can raise your risk of a hernia. 'Anything where you're straining the abdominal wall can be an issue,' Dr. Ali says. When you increase pressure in the belly region, it can cause a hernia to form.
Constipation
Dealing with chronic constipation is a risk factor for developing a hernia. Why? Straining can put pressure on your intestinal wall, raising the odds the contents in your abdomen will push out through a weak spot, Dr. Ali explains.
Repeated pregnancies
Having several pregnancies can raise your risk of developing a hernia, says women's health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D., author of The New Mom's Survival Guide. 'As the fetus grows in the uterus, there is an increase [in] abdominal pressure," she explains. 'In addition, the hormones that are released during pregnancy relax the muscles, allowing the belly to grow." Both of these can increase the risk of an umbilical hernia (which is around the belly button).
Repeated pregnancies can repeatedly stress these areas of the body, explains Christine Greves, M.D., an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida. 'The abdominal wall muscles and connective tissue can weaken the more times they need to expand," she says. 'This puts women at a higher risk of hernia." Dr. Greves says it can be hard to prevent hernias from repeat pregnancies, but maintaining a healthy weight and strengthening core muscles may help. Though women should consult their doctor before beginning an exercise program postpartum.
Putting on or taking off tight pants
Wearing tight pants alone is unlikely to cause a hernia, according to Dr. Ali. 'In fact, when a patient has a hernia, there are belts that put pressure on the area to hold it in,' he says. But, straining hard to pull on tight pants or to take them off could cause a hernia, Dr. Ali says.
Getting older
Inguinal hernias are most common in people between the ages of 75 and 80. There are a few reasons why getting older raises your risk of hernia, according to Dr. Ali. Those include muscles naturally weakening over time and a drop in tissue elasticity. That doesn't mean you're doomed to get a hernia as you age: Strength training exercises, especially around the core, can help to combat this, he says. But, again, talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions.
What to do if you suspect you have a hernia
If you think you have a hernia, it's important to get it evaluated by a healthcare professional. 'If there is some doubt, diagnostic studies like ultrasounds and CT scans can help identify a hernia,' Dr. Ali says.
Unfortunately, there's no pill or cream that can fix a hernia—surgery to repair the weak abdominal wall tissue and close the hole is the only thing that can permanently fix this, Dr. Ali says. Most hernias are closed with stitches or mesh patches.
Hernias don't usually come back after they're treated, according to Dr. Ali. But it is possible to get another one in a different location.
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