When an internal organ abnormally protrudes through an orifice or a rupture or a weak spot on the muscle wall and often into another cavity, say the chest cavity or the diaphragm, it causes hernia.
Types of hernia - Hiatal Hernia
Often there can be abnormal protrusion of the upper portion of the stomach which will push through the orifice or weakness of the abdominal muscles in the Hiatal region called hiatus and into the cavity of the chest or into the thorax. It will be accompanied by symptoms like heartburn, chest pain, acid reflux, regurgitation, a burning sensation in the upper portion of the stomach and similar symptoms. But in most cases there will be no symptoms to indicate hernia. This type of hernia is called Hiatal hernia or hiatus hernia.
It accounts for 8% of the total number of hernia cases worldwide and infant black babies, especially boys are more at risk as are obese individuals or infants or middle aged people with weakened abdominal muscles and it frequently occurs at birth. There is a swelling on the navel or in the region around it (umbilicus) where the hernial sac protrudes through the weak abdominal muscles.
It accounts for 17% of the total number of hernia cases. Through the femoral ring the intestine or bowel bulges out and protrudes into the front thigh.
It strikes men more commonly than women and accounts for 70% of the cases. Here a portion of the abdominal viscera will bulge out and protrude into the inguinal canal.
Inguinal hernia is of two types – direct and indirect inguinal hernias.
Other Types of hernia
It is possible to classify hernia on the basis of anatomical location such as intracranial hernia, nucleus pulposus hernia of the intervertebral discs, pelvic hernia/obturator hernia, diaphragmatic hernia, abdominal hernia, incisional hernia, double hernia, spinal disc herniation, velpeau hernia, sports hernia, spigelian hernia, sciatic hernia, sliding hernia, paraesophageal hernia, Richter’s hernia, properitoneal hernia, perineal hernia, pantaloon hernia, Grynfeltt’s hernia, Petit’s hernia, lumbar hernia, littre’s hernia, epigastric hernia, cooper’s hernia, brain hernia etc.