Femoral Hernia Symptoms

In our body, all the organs are safely contained in their respective cavities and are covered by a tissue lining. However, sometimes the encapsulating tissue weakens, and the organ protrudes outside. This condition is called hernia. Most of the hernias are a result of weakened abdominal wall.

Thus, the tissues lose their ability to contain the organ, resulting in the descend of the organ in the abdominal cavity. Hernias are classified according to their location. Femoral hernia is a type of hernia, which occurs on the upper inner thigh, near the groin.

Femoral hernia is a type of hernia in which a part of intestine sticks out of the abdominal cavity and enters the femoral canal, near the thigh. Femoral canal is the canal through which major blood vessels supply blood to the legs. The protrusion of the intestine is due to the inability of the abdominal wall to hold the intestine firmly in place.

The weakening of tissues may be caused due to several reasons. The most common cause is due to persistent coughing or straining of the muscles in the concerned area. Continuous infliction of strain on the abdominal wall causes the tissues to lose their strength, which eventually leads to hernia.

The symptoms in women and men are pretty similar. However, women are four times more likely to suffer from this problem due to their wider pelvic region. Given below are some symptoms.

If you have this disease, a grape-sized lump near the groin region on the upper inner thigh is the first thing you will notice. The lump is the result of the part of intestine or other organs being pushed out of the abdominal cavity. The bulge gradually increases in size as the hernia progresses. Treatment is necessary, as the hernia is not likely to heal on its own.

This disorder is often associated with pain in the groin region. When the part of the intestine projects out of the abdominal wall, it creates a hole in the abdominal wall. The damaged abdominal wall induces pain, which can be localized or generalized. The pain can be dull, sharp, or throbbing, depending upon the extent of damage.

If the intestine gets caught in the hernia, then the normal flow of the food may be obstructed leading to a condition called incarceration. This results in back flow of the food, causing vomiting and nausea.

Sometimes, the part of the intestine may get twisted with another organ, leading to strangulation of the intestine. This condition needs immediate medical intervention, as it leads to cutting down of blood supply to the intestine.

The hernia traps the intestine, thereby obstructing the normal flow of food. As a result, the fecal matter also gets blocked inside the hernia. This leads to constipation and other bowel problems.

• Painful intercourse in case of women, accompanied with burning near the entrance of the vagina.
• Urinary problems such as urinary hesitancy, urinary frequency, burning, infections, bladder stones.

• Impotence in men (inability to develop and sustain erection).
• Inflammation of the skin around the bulge.

Femoral hernia symptoms are easy to spot, which makes it possible to initiate the treatment without delay. The treatment basically aims at pushing back the contents in the abdominal cavity. It is mostly successful, without recurrence of this condition.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.