News Feed Discussions pain after hernia surgery

  • pain after hernia surgery

    Posted by mtevere on March 21, 2014 at 3:31 am

    How long after hernia surgery would you expect to stop have pain? Although I don’t work out, I have kept my weight stable. It has been approx 7 months.
    Your thoughts?

    nahho replied 10 years, 2 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • drtowfigh

    Moderator
    August 4, 2014 at 3:51 am

    pain after hernia surgery

    There is no science behind my answers. Each surgeon, technique and patient will have a different outcome and recovery pattern.

    For the average patient (complex operations and patients with known chronic pain disorders excepted), it is expected that hernia recovery be simple, quick. Most laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs require 1-3 days of recovery, and open inguinal hernias about 1 week. For abdominal wall hernias, small umbilical hernia repairs take 3-5 days, and larger repairs of laparoscopic and open hernias require about 2 weeks. These are in best circumstances, without any complexities, underlying problems.

    In terms of postoperative activity restriction, most experts agree that there is no evidence to support any restrictions in activity. In fact, activity may improve results from repair. Lifting restrictions are arbitrary as well. For most straightforward inguinal hernia repairs, I do not restrict my patients’ activities at all. I do restrict activities that are known risk factors for hernia recurrence: coughing, straining to have a bowel movement/urinate, nicotine use). For abdominal wall hernia repairs, restrictions are usually placed in patients with large hernias, tenuous repairs, unhealthy tissue. Otherwise, still many of us experts cannot scientifically claim that restrictions in activity or lifting will prevent hernia recurrence.

    We need more research on this topic.

    For sure, most of is specialists do not recommend weeks and months of limited activities. That will likely cause weight gain, muscle weakness, and even prevent optimal healing.

  • nahho

    Member
    July 22, 2014 at 5:47 pm

    pain after hernia surgery

    I’d be curious to see the answer to this. I have heard from others who’ve had surgery that one could feel *something* for up to a year, but I gather it shouldn’t be too bad and shouldn’t prevent you from working out. I see varying advice on when to resume strenuous exercise — anywhere from after two weeks to after eight or even 12. That’s difficult to figure out.

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