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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffYou can't prevent the congenital defect that makes you susceptible to an inguinal hernia. You can do things to reduce strain on your abdominal muscles and tissues, however. For example:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Talk to your doctor about the best exercise and diet plan for you.
- Emphasize high-fiber foods. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain fiber that can help prevent constipation and straining.
- Lift heavy objects carefully or avoid heavy lifting altogether. If you must lift something heavy, always bend from your knees — not your waist.
- Stop smoking. Besides its role in many serious diseases, smoking often causes a chronic cough that can lead to or aggravate an inguinal hernia.
- Avoid relying on a truss. Wearing a supportive garment designed to keep hernias in place (hernia truss) doesn't correct the underlying problem or help prevent complications. Your doctor might recommend a hernia truss for a short time before surgery to help you feel more comfortable, but the truss isn't a replacement for surgery.
References
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Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229935664-2192. Accessed Jan. 8, 2013.
- Goroll AH, et al. Primary Care Medicine: Office Evaluation and Management of the Adult Patient. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009. http://gateway.ovid.com/ovidweb.cgi?T=JS&MODE=ovid&PAGE=main&D=baov&PCOSTART=goroll. Accessed Jan. 8, 2013.
- Inguinal hernia. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/inguinalhernia/#what. Accessed Jan. 8, 2013.
- Mizrahi H, et al. Management of asymptomatic inguinal hernia: A systematic review of the evidence. Archives of Surgery. 2012;147:277.
- AskMayoExpert. What are the most common types of hernia that occur in children? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
- Matthews RD, et al. Inguinal hernia in the 21st century: An evidence-based review. Current Problems in Surgery. 2008;45:261.
- Karthikesalingam A, et al. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing laparoscopic with open mesh repair of recurrent inguinal hernia. British Journal of Surgery. 2010;97:4.
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