Incisional Hernia: Home Remedies, Diet, Prognosis, Outlook, Prevention

The condition of incisional hernia occurs when the abdominal tissues try to push through a weak spot which is made during a previous surgery to the abdomen. This weak spot is supposed to be healed after the surgery but did not happen because of various reasons such as improper care, improper lifestyle after the surgery and sometimes there may be unknown reasons.

When the incisional hernia happens, the abdominal tissues pop out under the stomach skin which can be very painful when it is touched. In this section of the article you will read about the home remedies, diet, and lifestyle changes for incisional hernia as well as prognosis/outlook and prevention of incisional hernia.

There are a variety of home remedies which can be used to get relief from the problems of incisional hernia. However, it cannot be used as a replacement for conventional medicines. In addition, the results of these home remedies are not guaranteed and can show variable results on different individuals. Always check with your doctor before adopting any home remedies for incisional hernia.

• Licorice is known to give relief from and can be extremely helpful in incisional hernia by strengthening esophagus and stomach linings, which can help to relieve from painful burning sensations in chest. However, it is necessary to check with your doctor before consumption. Licorice is a great home remedy for incisional hernia.
• Ginger root are a wonderful home remedy for incisional hernia for avoiding excessive release of bile and gastric acids but can upset stomach in few cases.
• Incisional hernia in some individuals is accompanied with acid reflux. Chamomile is a magical herb and a home remedy, which can check the release of stomach acids and can comfort esophageal lining. Nevertheless, it may cause nausea in some cases.
• Marshmallow root is a good home remedy can be very helpful in digestion and preventing symptoms of incisional hernia. However, it may cause diarrhea in some cases.
• Hawthornia is a wonderful herb which can avoid incisional hernia by strengthening muscles. It is a wonderful home remedy that can also help in avoiding incisional hernia to repeat. Hawthornia is a combination of three herbs: fennel, citrus seed and hawthorn.
• The herb shepherds purse is known to show great results in treatment of pain, swelling and inflammation in incisional hernia and is a good home remedy. It is also helpful in avoiding infections and bleedings. It can be applied externally with a tincture or consumed internally as supplement.

There are many lifestyle changes which can help in managing the pain caused by incisional hernia. Few of them are mentioned below:

• Acupuncture might be a great therapy to manage pain caused by incisional hernia. There are some more therapies available for pain management but they are not so much effective.
• Exercising regularly is a good lifestyle change for incisional hernia. Select special exercises for your abdominal muscles, which can check your body weight, and at the same time do not put pressure on the abdominal muscles. Never exercise immediately after eating and wait for at least 4 hours before exercising.
• Another great lifestyle change for incisional hernia Includes stress management practices like meditation, yoga, breathing exercises to keep away the stress which can cause acid reflux and digestion problems.
• Ice packs can do wonders and are very helpful in suppressing the pain caused by incisional hernia and is a good lifestyle change.
• The surgical portion must be kept away from any type of pressure or heat.
• Exercising just after eating is never a good idea and must be avoided.
• Wear loose and comfortable clothes to avoid any pressure being exerted under the abdomen.
• Raise the upper half of the body in an elevated position about 6 inches above the lover portion during sleeping. This will help in proper digestion by preventing the reverse flow of gastric juices. In addition, bricks are recommended against pillow to accomplish this as it puts lesser stress. Bricks can be used to lift the bed frame and avoid pillows as they might add pressure on abdomen.
• It is recommended to break your meals into small units and develop habit of eating at regular intervals as long as you have the problem of incisional hernia and it is a recommended lifestyle change.
• Avoid lazy habit of taking bed just after eating. Even bending down must be prevented to avoid the recurrence of incisional hernia.
• Avoiding consumption of alcohol is a best lifestyle change for incisional hernia.

There are few dietary changes which can be adopted for incisional hernia. The patients who undergo surgery for incisional hernia must include lot of protein rich and less in fat constituents in the diet. The fatty diet enhances the chances of incisional hernia as it weakens the abdominal walls.

Protein rich diet may include food items like tuna, chicken, cheese etc. The milk must be low in fat content if it is to be consumed. Fiber rich diet like nuts, beans, whole grains are considered good for recovery. Even fruits like pears and apples are rich sources of fiber. Fiber helps in bowel movement and helps in eradication of constipation. A proper diet can certainly minimize the chances of hernia. Following are some diet tips to keep away the risk of incisional hernia:

• Take a balanced and nutritious diet for incisional hernia to keep your body weight in check. Make a habit of regular simple exercising to stay fit.
• Consume a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and keep some space for grains. This will ensure fiber rich nutritious diet for incisional hernia.
• Take precautions while lifting heavy weights. Make sure to bend your knees while lifting weights to put minimum stress on your back.
• Take proper care of cough situation take necessary medical treatment on the high priority basis.
• Smoking must be strictly avoided as it is accompanied with regular coughing which can be very harmful in this situation with incisional hernia.

The prognosis for incisional hernia is good if detected early and treated in time. The incisional hernia is not a serious problem in the initial stages and can be fixed by the patient itself. They would organs back to suppress the bulging and allow hernia to self-relief. However it is not a permanent solution and patient has to undergo surgery at some stage.

The best part is that surgery for treatment of incisional hernia has shown good results without any complications. The patient has to make sure that he gives the wound a sufficient time to rest and return to work only after consulting with the doctor.

The incisional hernia cannot be completely avoided after surgery, as the muscles are tender and vulnerable. The best we can do is to make sure that the wound does not have to feel the stress because of absurd or unnecessary activities. Follow the steps below to minimize chances of incisional hernia:

• Stay fit and keep an eye on your body weight.
• Visit a doctor immediately to avoid a situation of coughing and sneezing.
• Try to avoid lifting very heavy weights.
• Never strain your wound during urination or other movements.
• Follow correct method while lifting heavy objects to minimize strain on back.

The incisional hernia may not be fatal and painful in its early stages but it cannot be ignored at any stage. As soon as the symptoms are spotted, a proper incisional hernia treatment procedure must be adopted after consulting with the doctor. This can avoid the incisional hernia from getting to a stage of strangulated hernia which can be fatal and complicated.

For preventing incisional hernia, an individual needs to take care of several things. First of all the doctor must use proper surgical instruments and techniques. After the surgery, the patient must pay attention to the discharge instructions to prevent any type of infection, as it is direct cause of incisional hernia. Also patient must strictly avoid such activities which would pressurize area of wound.

Following is the list of prevention measure that can save you from the risk of incisional hernia:

• Avoid acts of overexertion to prevent incisional hernia.
• Take care of constipation to avoid straining of the abdominal bowels to prevent incisional hernia.
• Be careful while coughing and sneezing not to pressurize abdominal wall.
• Avoid such activities that may pressurize surgical wound.
• Make sure to apply the prescribed gels to ensure quick and proper healing to prevent incisional hernia.
• Stay away from sexual acts until wound regains its strength.
• Avoid smoking completely to prevent incisional hernia.

The post-surgery management for preventing infection can vary according to the age of the patient. Still there is no method to assure cent percent about the prevention of incisional hernia. So the best that patient can do is follow the prevention steps and hope for the best.

References:

Also Read:

• What is Incisional Hernia: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complications
• Incisional Hernia: Treatment, Surgery, Recovery Period, Risk Factors