Do I Have a Hernia If There's No Pain but Swelling?

how do I know if I have a hernia? I look pretty swollen around my stoma but there is no pain. My nurses who change my pouches always comment that the area looks good - but that’s always when I’m laying on my back. So if I DO have a hernia, would I have a lot of pain?

Faybay--

Not necessarily.  I have four hernias.  One very large ventral hernia with three loops of intestine stuck in my stomach.  One large one under my stoma. One to the left of my abdomen, and one right beneath the ventral one in my abdomen.  I have NO pain, but am well aware of the possibilities of blockages.  I ALWAYS look as if I swallowed a soccer ball.  Hernias tend to repeat, so having them fixed is an option I will not entertain.  Besides, as I have said before.  surgeons lie.  It's their livelihood to cut and they take any opportunity to do so.  HOWEVER, if you have a small hernia, and you are in good physical shape, it could possibly be repaired without cutting you open, via laproscopy.  EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.  Good luck with your choice.

Peace

I had a parastomal hernia which was repaired and always feels a little stiff and weird where the mesh was placed. I just looked one day and a bulge was sticking out around my stoma where there hadn't previously been one. 

I would go to your surgeon to be safe. Peace of mind is money well spent. 

Hello Faybay. It's an interesting question you pose, in that the definition of a 'hernia' is: "the abnormal exit of tissue or an organ, such as the bowel, through the wall of the cavity in which it normally resides".  With this in mind, the stoma itself could be described as a 'hernia'. All the tisssue and organs surrounding it are not in the position that they would be without the stoma so they too could be viewed as hernias. However, for most purposes the hernias we normally discuss are those which cause us problems of one sort or another.  Both the previous replies have merit in their own right and there are lots more comments on this subject in previous posts on the same issue, which can be found in 'Premium Content'. I have several different hernias and have opted not to do anything about them at present because they are manageable and not too serious. However, if that situation was to change, I would definitely keep my options open. As with most things to do with stomas, each one of us is different in circumstances and in outlook, which makes these decisions very personal.

once you have found out everything ther is to know about hyour own situation, I hope you can make an informed decision on what to do about it (if anything) 

Best wishes

Bill

My stoma looks like it sets on a ant mound, the Dr. say i have a hernia and to wear a ostomy belt and tight fitting underwear, and if it bulges lay on my back so hernia goes in.. it really has helped...i'm avoiding surgery as long as possible... and she agrees

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