Previously we talk about what is hernia and also Signs and symptoms of hernia. Now we need to know what is best treatment for hernia. In general all hernia should be operated unless patient is not fit for surgery due to certain other health problems. 

Avoid activities that can cause increase in the abdominal pressure such as coughing, lifting heavy object or straining which will make hernia becomes worst. Someone who has cough need to seek treatment. Someone who has to strain during urination or defecation should go for examination by doctor to ascertain  the cause. It may be caused by constipation or  enlargment of the prostate which need to be treated.

Medical Treatment

Depend on wether  it is reducible or irreducible and possibility of strangulation..

•Reducible hernia
◦Generally all hernia need to be operated to avoid possibility of complicating to strangulation.
◦If surgery cannot be done due to other medical reasons, surgery will not be carried out or be postponed and doctor needs to examine patient periodically.
◦There are conditions doctor will not operate due to nature of hernia.
■There is hernia with wide opening and the risk of strangulation is very low and there is a  situation where surgery to close this wide opening is very complicated.
◦Treatment may be different for each hernia and doctor will discuss with patient the method of  treatment including the risks and benefits if surgery  is done or not. 
•Irreducible hernia
◦All irreducible hernia needs emergency treatment due to risk of strangulation.
◦Attempt to reduce the hernia can be done and facilitated by the use of painkiller and muscle relaxant.
■If the hernia contents include intestine, there is a risk of strangulation which will compromise blood supply to the intestine.  If the blood supply is totally cut off, the intestinal tissue will die (become gangrenous) in 6 hours.
■If the strangulation occurs beyond that duration, surgery   is done to assess the severity and extension of intestinal tissue damage and to repair the hernia.
■If the duration of irreducible hernia is short and the strangulation is satisfactorily excluded, patient may be disharged from ward once hernia has been reduced.
◦Since this hernia has a tendency to become irreducible again, it is better to do surgery earlier than usual.
◦Occasionally hernia has been irreducible for quite sometime and becoming chronic. Patient does not feel pain and there are no signs of intestinal obstruction, in this case, surgery can be done electively.