Hernia is a condition in which a part of a body tissue or organ leaves its original location and enters another part of the body through a gap, defect or weak area. There are umbilical hernias, inguinal hernias, hiatal hernias, incisional hernias, surgical recurrent hernias, white line hernias, femoral hernias and other types. Hernias are mostly caused by coughing, sneezing, over exertion, overfatting of the abdomen, straining to defecate, pregnancy in women, excessive crying in children, degenerative changes in the strength of the abdominal wall in old age, and so on. Clinical manifestations are divided into inguinal hernia, inguinal hernia, femoral hernia, umbilical hernia, white line hernia, incisional hernia, incarcerated hernia, strangulated hernia and so on. General symptoms: protruding when standing, lying down after the disappearance, can be pressed back into the abdominal cavity. But incarcerated hernia, strangulated hernia is painful and difficult to push back into the abdominal cavity. If the hernia is left unchecked, adhesions and incarceration are likely to occur, so it should be treated as soon as possible. Pathogenesis Most hernias are due to long-standing areas of weakness in the body. Usually the weak areas of the abdominal wall are inherent and become thinner with age, trauma or surgical incisions. Lifting heavy objects or doing heavy physical work can exacerbate the severity of a hernia. Although hernias are more common in men than in women, they can happen to anyone and can be caused by a number of factors, including movements or activities that put extra pressure on the abdominal wall, such as: chronic coughing or asthma, such as a smoker’s cough; obesity; abdominal stress during urination and defecation; pregnancy; and abdominal stress when lifting a heavy object Types of Hernias (by site of origin) Inguinal Hernias: These hernias can occur at any age, but peak in the early stages of life and can be caused by a variety of other factors. Inguinal hernias: these hernias can occur at any age, but peak in early childhood and occur in 80% to 0% of boys, followed by the elderly. Hernias of the abdominal wall: these hernias occur mainly in the area around the navel and predominate in women. Most of them occur between the ages of 20 and 50. Umbilical hernias: These hernias occur in the umbilicus, which is a circular bulge inside the umbilicus. Umbilical hernias occur in 10% to 20% of infants, children and, to a lesser extent, adult women. Scrotal hernia (scrotal swelling): In men, it occurs in the scrotum and produces a swelling of the scrotum, which in severe cases is visibly enlarged and makes walking extremely difficult. In women, it occurs in the ovary area, making the lower body visibly enlarged and painful. Incisional Hernia: This type of hernia occurs at the site of a scar from an earlier surgical incision. Incisional hernias can occur months or years after surgery. Symptoms Clinical symptoms may vary depending on the size of the hernia sac or the presence of complications. The basic symptom is the appearance of a reproducible mass in the groin area, which is small at first and appears only when the patient stands, works, walks, runs, coughs violently, and may retract on its own when lying down or when pressed with the hand. There is usually no special discomfort, and only occasionally accompanied by local distension and tenderness. With the development of the disease, the mass can gradually increase in size, from the groin down to the scrotum or labia majora, walking inconvenience and affect the labor. Difficult hernia in terms of clinical manifestations in addition to swelling and pain is slightly heavier. Its main feature is that the hernia block can not be completely retracted. Incarcerated hernia often occurs in strong labor or defecation and other intra-abdominal pressure suddenly increased. Clinically, it is often manifested as a sudden increase in the size of the hernia mass, accompanied by obvious pain. Lying down or pushing the mass with the hand can not make it retracted. The mass is tense and hard, and there is obvious tenderness. The incarcerated contents of the omentum, the local pain is often gently micro; such as intestinal tubes, not only the local pain is obvious, but also can be accompanied by paroxysmal abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal distension. Once the hernia is incarcerated, the chance of self-recovery is small; most of the patients’ symptoms gradually aggravate, if not treated in time, will eventually become strangulated hernia. Intestinal wall hernia incarcerated, due to the local mass is not obvious, and not necessarily have intestinal obstruction performance, easy to be ignored. Hernia hazards Hernia first affects the patient’s digestive system, resulting in lower abdominal distension, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, constipation, poor nutrient absorption, fatigue and physical decline and other symptoms. And because of the inguinal and genitourinary system adjacent, so the elderly patients are prone to frequent urination, urinary urgency, increased nocturia and other bladder or prostate diseases; children can be due to the hernia of the extrusion of the normal development of the testicles; and young and middle-aged patients are prone to lead to sexual dysfunction. Also due to the hernia sac of the intestinal tube or omentum easy to be squeezed or collision caused by inflammatory swelling, resulting in hernia retraction difficulties, leading to hernia incarceration, intestinal obstruction, intestinal necrosis and other dangerous situations.