About this topic
A hernia starts with a weak area in your belly wall. Then, the lining of your belly can push through the weak area and form a sack. Your small bowels or other belly contents can get stuck in this sack. A hernia looks like a bulge or swelling on the outside of your belly. Surgery is needed to treat a hernia. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work or driving
- Be sure to wash your hands before touching your wound or dressing.
- You may feel better in loose-fitting clothing.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. This may help with pain and swelling.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain
- Prevent infection
- Soften stools
Will physical activity be limited?
- Be sure to walk 3 to 4 times each day. Try to walk a little longer each day.
- Avoid lifting, pulling, or pushing things that weigh more than 10 pounds. Do this for 2 to 3 weeks or as ordered by your doctor.
- You may need to rest for a while. Talk to your doctor if you run, work out, or play sports.
- Do light household chores only, such as washing dishes or helping with meals.
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Wound opens or has more drainage
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain with passing urine, or wound that will not heal.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Pain gets worse and does not improve when drugs are taken
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my surgery.
- I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have swelling, redness, or warmth around my wound.
Where can I learn more?
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/guys/hernias.html ‚
NHS Choices ‚
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hernia/pages/introduction.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚