Hernia is not uncommon in the elderly group, and some people think that hernia can be cured by itself and there is no need to undergo a surgery. The reporter learned from Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital yesterday that there are 40,000 to 60,000 hernia patients in Guangzhou every year, and the prevalence rate is as high as 10% in people over 60 years old. A large proportion of these patients adopt “delaying tactics” and tend to take conservative treatment instead of surgical treatment, which often leads to a complicated condition in the end. Experts say that adult hernia is not self-healing and should be treated as soon as possible once diagnosed, and early surgery can even result in same-day discharge. Case: unwillingness to operate, dragging the condition 52-year-old Hunan Aunt Wang felt a vague pain in her lower abdomen two years ago, especially a small lump when she exerted herself. At first, Aunt Wang thought it was a gynecological disease and did not go to the doctor because of her feelings. But slowly, the frequency of pain increased. Aunt Wang’s family took her to the hospital for a checkup and discovered that she was suffering from a hernia. Auntie Wang usually runs a bun store and heard the doctor say that the only way to treat the disease is surgery, which takes a month plus recovery time, so she turned to find a prescription for treatment, “and there are many folk sayings that a hernia will automatically run away after a period of rest”. During this year’s Spring Festival, Aunt Wang had unbearable pain, almost several times a day, and was finally sent to the hospital in an emergency. After examination, it was found that the lump caused by the hernia had grown to the size of a goose egg, and her condition became more complicated, requiring immediate surgery. The treatment: early surgery can be discharged within 24 hours It is not uncommon for people like Aunt Wang to have misconceptions about hernias and believe that they can heal themselves if they put up with them. “The only effective treatment is surgery,” said Hu Shixiong, director of hernia surgery at Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, adding that the total prevalence of hernia in China is as high as 3.6 percent. In 2011, with a resident population of 13 million in Guangzhou, 40,000 to 60,000 people suffer from hernia every year, and the prevalence rate of people over 60 years old is as high as 10 percent. Yet most patients tend to take conservative treatment rather than surgical treatment. ”Adult hernia is not self-healing, and as time goes by, the hernia mass will become larger and the symptoms more pronounced, and risks such as impaction may occur,” said Hu Shixiong, adding that the earlier the hernia is treated, the simpler it is, and early surgery can be done to achieve 24-hour discharge or even outpatient surgery, while the larger the hernia the more complicated the surgery becomes. The longer the time plus the increase in geriatric diseases, the more difficult it is to treat hernias in the elderly, and some patients have underlying diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, making the surgery more difficult and risky. Post-operative: avoid lifting heavy objects for 3 months Compared to surgery, recovery after hernia surgery is equally important. Hu Shixiong said that many patients think that everything is fine after surgery and end up with poor recovery and need to be rehospitalized. ”Most patients who have tension-free hernia repair surgery can be discharged home within one to two days after surgery. However, it is recommended to move as slowly as possible and avoid heavy lifting, long hours of stairs, hiking, biking, running and other strenuous exercises for 3 months after surgery. It is also important to eat more fruits and vegetables to prevent constipation and to avoid smoking as much as possible to reduce the chance of coughing. Experts remind that if there is fever, persistent wound pain, redness and swelling of the wound or abnormal discharge after surgery, you should visit the hospital early to evaluate the treatment effect.