Common Causes Of A Femoral Hernia

A femoral hernia is a type of hernia brought about by certain tissues pushing through the muscle wall of the inner thigh or groin. The area the tissue pushes through is a spot that's likely been weakened by an external factor. A range of different causes can lead to an individual developing a femoral hernia, some of which can be avoided if the individual is aware of them beforehand. When patients begin to suffer from a femoral hernia, it's likely they will notice the presence of a lump around their inner thigh or groin.

This primary symptom is typically accompanied by pain and discomfort. Femoral hernias only account for close to five percent of all types of groin hernias. Because of the substantial number of complications a femoral hernia can cause, the condition will usually need to be treated with some form of surgery.

Chronic Constipation

Straining and excessive amounts of pressure around the groin can cause a femoral hernia, which is why chronic constipation is among the most common causes for this condition. This is a long-term form of constipation that's first considered chronic if it lasts for longer than three months. There are even times when chronic forms of constipation can last for years. Having to regularly deal with constipation means this condition will likely be disruptive to an individual's work or personal life.

While acute constipation can be relieved with simple exercise and changes in diet, the chronic type cannot be relieved with these methods and will typically require the use of prescription medications or some other form of medical attention. While anyone can suffer from chronic constipation, it's most common in women above sixty-five years old. Individuals also have a higher chance of suffering from this condition if they're pregnant. Since the presence of constipation usually causes the patient to strain more than they are supposed to, it's possible for this condition to cause a femoral hernia.

Chronic Coughing

Chronic coughing is another condition that can cause individuals to strain too much and develop a femoral hernia. In most cases, the coughing individuals experience will be short-term because of a cold or the flu. However, it's possible for coughing to last for a much lengthier period that can extend for months or even years until it subsides. If there's no clear cause for a patient's coughing, it's likely an underlying condition is causing them to experience a chronic case of coughing.

This type of coughing is problematic because it can affect a patient's ability to lead a normal life by keeping them awake at night. Most causes of this coughing are relatively harmless and include everything from smoking and acid reflux to asthma and postnasal drip. More serious reasons for this condition include cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, and heart failure. Along with a standard cough, patients might also go through symptoms such as a sore throat, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Longer bouts of chronic coughing will increase an individual's risk of developing a femoral hernia.

Difficulties Urinating Due To An Enlarged Prostate

It's possible the cause for a femoral hernia is because of difficulties urinating due to an enlarged prostate. An enlarged prostate can occur because of changes in the balance of an individual's hormones. It's believed a man is more at risk of suffering from an enlarged prostate as they age. When the prostate becomes too large, it can create issues with the flow of urine through the urethra. When this occurs, patients may begin to experience problems and difficulties with urinating. If this condition is left untreated, serious complications like kidney problems can develop.

It's important to understand the presence of an enlarged prostate doesn't increase someone's chances of contracting prostate cancer. However, the issues it can cause are serious, which is why patients will still want to obtain treatment for the condition. The urination difficulties caused by an enlarged prostate include having problems starting a urine stream or having an interrupted or weak urine stream.

Heavy Lifting

If an individual's workout routine involves a substantial amount of heavy lifting, it's possible these exercises are the cause of their femoral hernia. While this type of lifting will assist individuals in building muscle mass and reducing overall body fat, too much heavy lifting can put them at risk for injuries or suffering from a femoral hernia. As individuals lift a heavy weight, their body will become tensed while their muscles strain to continue holding the weights.

Even though their body will likely experience an array of benefits from heavy lifting, these exercises can place too much strain around the thighs and groin area, which further increases an individual's risk of a femoral hernia. If individuals begin to feel discomfort in the area, they should consider lessening how often they use heavy weights each week.

Being Overweight

Being overweight automatically places pressure on the individual's bladder and groin area, which can heighten their chances of being affected by a femoral hernia. While being overweight isn't quite as damaging to an individual's health as obesity, it does increase their likelihood of developing a wide array of serious health issues that will require additional treatments. If patients know how to measure their body mass index, a score of twenty-five to 29.9 places them in the range of being overweight. Patients could also measure their waist in inches to determine if they're overweight.

Women with a waist size of thirty-five inches or more inches are considered overweight. The same is true of men with a waist size of forty inches or more. Health issues like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are particularly common among individuals who are overweight. Overweight individuals who want to prevent a femoral hernia can do so through healthy weight loss.