Med-O-Meter

5

MedHead Message:

If you have obvious signs of an inguinal hernia (bulging out of the lower pelvic wall, made worse with lifting something heavy, during a bowel movement, while coughing, laughing, or sneezing, with or without associated pain), then you have a hernia. Most hernias don’t need to be surgically fixed unless it is causing some amount of discomfort (pain, dislike of seeing a bulge, etc.) Save yourself the $525 and put it toward having your hernia surgically fixed, or at least trying a hernia belt. Hernias can become surgical emergencies if you have severe, unrelenting pain, with fever. If you have these, get to the ER right away as part of the bowel may be having its blood supply cut off.

References:

• 1. https://www.choosingwisely.org/clinician-lists/sages-routine-ultrasound-for-clinically-apparent-inguinal-hernia/ Accessed 9/9/2019.
• 2. https://health.costhelper.com/pelvic-ultrasounds.html. Accessed 9/9/2019.