Fixing a Hernia by unconventional methods

[Good intentions]

Here is the 1933 paper.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2532339/pdf/postmedj00803-0033.pdf

And here are some more recent papers about the use of trusses.

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C48&q=hernia+truss&btnG=

[pinto]

@Alephy, very interesting finding about DHs. Mightily important. If you come across the source again please share.

[William Bryant]

That’s interesting Alephy..both the 1933, hence LCC I assume. And what you’ve said about Direct hernia and no hole as such.

[Alephy]

I seem to remember that while for an indirect inguinal hernia one can talk of an opening, for a direct one the tissues give way and get deformed, so there is no real hole. By the way I searched for the paper and it seems to have been published in 1933!?

[William Bryant]

Search this and open the pdf search should show.

Treating hernia in MALE INFANTS. By R. A. RAMSAY, M.Ch.(Cantab.), F.R.C.S.Eng.

It says a truss in children can cure but not generally in adult cases. In children the tissue is still soft etc

[William Bryant]

I’d have thought if the hole was still present the hernia would have returned at some point during his adult life. Unless it’s a puberty thing and not a real hernia.

[pinto]

Watchnwaitin, thanks. Good to hear.

William, why do you think “the hole must have closed”? He just as likely been blessed by a stable hernia that hasn’t grown too large. I’m just interested in hearing verifiable evidence that herniae can heal naturally, something widely said doesn’t happen.

[William Bryant]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3276927/

Here’s a study of yoga therapy. I’ve only skimmed through but seems to be it can help relieve and reduce but not cure.

The segment about pain after surgery Chuch maybe interested in.

[William Bryant]

I tried that approach to a degree, but not with quite the same determination. All the time I was wearing the, in my case, compression pants, the bulge was small but I found if I stopped wearing them for any length of time the hernia would come back to original size.

I think the problem is the hole/tear is unlikely to close up, it’s always going to be there.

…That said, on a general chat forum, there was a thread about hernias and one person had one as a small boy and was told to wear a truss and not run or do anything vigorous, he had to wear it 24/7. He is now retired and never had hernia surgery so the hole must have closed … I didn’t know that was possible. But can’t see why he’d lie. Maybe it wasn’t a hernia but sport injury.

[Watchnwaitin]

@pinto, method was using the $20 truss with the pad turned flat side in using it 5-6 hours a day at work, or when doing anything more physical around the house (didn’t use for exercising that I do everyday). Ice packs for about 10 minutes after taking it off, eat well, and when lifting anything don’t lean over and keep it under 20lbs.

[pinto]

@Watchnwaitin, congrats on that. I’m glad for you that you were able to avoid surgery. As you demonstrate your unconventional method was not “mental” but physical. Another feature is that yours did not cure but only lessen the symptom. Moreover, the hernia is quite small. The larger the hernia, the greater the risk.

By your own admission you still have a hernia and who knows, it could possibly get worse. Nevertheless yours is the dream scenario for someone on watch and wait. Mine progressed too quickly for that. How about elaborating more on your method so others might try it.

[Watchnwaitin]

I have had an inguinal hernia for the last 2 1/2 years.Noticed it as a very small bump and had an ultrasound that confirmed it (person doing ultrasound had a hard time finding it and said it looks like a bit of fat tissue coming thru between tissue). Was referred to a specialist and they said can fix it or wait after I told them pain was about a 1 out of 10 and not a big issue. Second year it would give some pain randomly and more often, usually after doing some lifting or excertion, a 2 out of 10 I’d say and got a bit larger. Decided to get it fixed (open mesh)and waited close to a year, then the week of surgery got the flu and decided to cancel and re-book. After that read up mesh and no mesh, and a guy who claimed to fix his by using a flat pad truss, ice packs, and certain excercises. Bought a truss and use it daily for 5-6 hours each day since January (turned the pad flat side in, and also use when doing something more physical in the garage) and in the last 6 months bump became smaller and 0 out of 10 pain basically. I do everything still as normal including biking and hiking everyday, working on my cars and dirt bikes. Only thing I do different is don’t lift anything over around 20 pounds. Originally was about the size of an almond a couple of mm high, then later close to double that, now back to around almond size.

Luckily mine is small and hardly protudes, and realize it will probably need fixing in the future but happy for now its not much of an issue.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by  Watchnwaitin.

[pinto]

Hi Anthony, you have great spirit I like that. I agree we can employ strategies so as not to worsen hernias. But I have not seen any evidence-based research to show that wishing, visualizing, or other thinking methods can eradicate them.

On the contrary I am concerned that your proposal that they can, will do people more harm than not. Why? Because once ruptured, further physical stress may make it worse. Even if we try physical therapy by ourselves, it likely will become hit-or-miss ending in futility. Then we have an enlarged hernia making repair at least a bit harder esp. for pure tissue repair.

Anthony, it’s not my job to do the research—-it’s yours. It’s your claim, your proposal. As you enjoy quotes, 🙂 let me leave you with one: “I got a bridge in Brooklyn….”

• This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by  pinto.

[pinto]

@Anthony, you confuse psychological effects with physical ones. You say, “Think of the placebo effect. In drug studies, people have had measurable positive changes after taking a sugar pill.” Yes they are psychological not physical. Once you get an egg-sized lump pop out in your pelvis, no matter how much you cross your fingers and try to wish it away—-it ain’t going away.

You speak of people visualizing their ailments away. How do you know that their original diagnosis was accurate? Misdiagnosis can account as much as “visualizations” for accounting for later improved physical condition.

So I ask again: Where is the empirical evidence for “people [who]…positively change[d] their bodies by thinking it so.” You said “body” not mind. By “change” I assume you mean overcoming physical ailments by which “thinking” eradicated the disease in question.

[Alephy]

I think @drtowfigh once mentioned the benefit of exercising the core in reducing the chance of the hernia getting larger, possibly also reducing pain/discomfort. I advocate exercising when one does watchful waiting. As for hernias healing by themselves, that would probably require the tissue that gave way reshape itself regaining its original strength, maybe in the future with genetic engineering this will be possible, who knows.

Ps: whoever got a successful surgery in this forum will likely recommend that one gets their hernias fixed surgically asap…

[pinto]

@Anthony: “…there’s measurable evidence people can positively change their bodies by thinking it so.”

Change their bodies how? Flutter of eyelashes? Transform disfigured faces to the Hollywood glamorous? And what is this “measurable evidence”?

After centuries of hernia aliments you don’t think that cures through imagination was ever tried? It’s all wishful thinking, so save your money from investing in such advertised “cures” and consider surgery before your hernia becomes too enlarged.

[William Bryant]

The Brighton centre

https://www.brightonsportstherapy.co.uk/injury/inguinal-hernia-treatment

[William Bryant]

There is a yoga clinic in Brighton who say certain exercises can help greatly, also Craig Sams claims to have cured his hernia by wearing a support, losing weight, eating well and exercise, he has a site called hernia bible. There is also a mention on a site that sells compression hernia pants that some people have cured their hernias by wearing them 24 7.

I was quite excited by all this and posted about it but as many replied saying it could be these people just altered their life style to cope rather than a real cure.

One person who thought he’d cured it went on to have a repair so I read on a forum.

The Brighton physio and yoga sounds most plausible and reasonable.

[David M]

Ive been wearing a truss for about 4 years. I actually first realized I had a hernia in 2008, and I sort of wish I had started using the truss earlier. Perhaps it would have slowed the progression.

I’d rather not wear it, but i don’t find it all that uncomfortable most of the time and know it helps, at least, some. If I stand up without it for a long period of time…washing the dishes, for instance.., it will definitely begin to bother me. With it, most of the time I can take a long daily walk without even thinking about the hernia.

Now, it doesnt really keep the hernia from pushing out, but it does aid in restraining it.

One of the possibilities that I wonder about is doing tissue repair and then trying to supplement that repair by continuing to wear a truss.

[Watchful]

It’s a “mechanical” problem which tends to get worse with time due to physics and tissue degradation. I don’t think the mind has anything to do with the actual problem or its progression, just maybe in perceptions. Keeping your weight low and avoiding strain are likely to help. A truss helps in some cases, but didn’t in my case, and it’s a pain to use.

[Unknown Member]

I like the way you think Pinto! You’re not afraid to inquire, and that’s important in today’s world especially. As for your quote… I say let’s build a bridge together. You may find my latest post interesting. I think we can all help improve outcomes for others by spreading the news.

[Unknown Member]

Great questions Pinto, and very thorough as well. I highly encourage you to research studies and stories of those that have changed their lives with a combination of positive thinking, and positive life choices. Rather than sparing time for an internet debate, I’ll leave you with a quote by Nelson Mandela. “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

[JD]

I have been watchfully waiting since my direct inguinal hernia was diagnosed about 18 months ago. At that time, my hernia doc recommended getting with a physical therapist to put me on a program of core strengthening. I have been doing that since then, and my symptoms are definitely reduced.

[Watchful]

My hernia actually got significantly worse when I started doing core exercises. I can’t tell for sure if it was correlated or just a coincidence, but I think it was related. That worsening actually pushed me toward surgery. I could live with my hernia before that worsening, but not after. I would recommend being very careful with core exercises with a hernia based on my experience.

[Alephy]

I guess we are all different…I wonder whether the hernia type plays a role when it comes to core exercises 🤔

[Unknown Member]

As for the yoga clinic, do you know the exact name of it? One user did mention the Brighton Physiotherapy & Sports Therapy facility.

[Unknown Member]

Extremely helpful. Thank you!

[Unknown Member]

Thanks for the input my friend 🙂

[Unknown Member]

Thanks for the response Pinto, here’s a link on the placebo effect. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/placebo-effect
I’m not assuming you can change your face to resemble Tom Cruise by willing it so, however science has shown people have had positive health outcomes by simply believing it. An obscure concept, but one that is quite fascinating.