What are the accompanying symptoms of an inguinal hernia?
Accompanying symptoms depend on the severity of the inguinal hernia. The more intestines are constricted in a tissue envelope such as the inguinal canal, the more likely the body’s own structures are injured. In the best case, the prolapse of the viscera occurs only in phases and the viscera pull themselves back into the abdominal cavity.
In these cases, the baby has, if at all, only pain when the bulge occurs. If parts of the intestines are permanently cramped, this can mean disturbed digestion. The lumen of the affected intestine is then constricted to such an extent that food pulp cannot pass through this section or can only pass through it with difficulty.
As a result, the intestinal contents accumulate in front of the constriction and painfully expand the unaffected intestine. As a result, babies are conspicuous by their whiny behavior and constant crying. In addition, they can also become unwilling to drink.
If the intestine is squeezed so tightly that even the blood vessels are tied up, this leads to the death of the intestine if it is not treated. In babies, this leads to severe pain and, with increasing severity, becomes visually visible from the outside. The bulge gradually takes on a red to slightly purple color with the increasing undersupply of the intestinal parts.
Any painful redness in combination with a lump in the groin should therefore be seen as a warning signal. Pain is mainly caused by a hernia when the intestines are trapped. Strictly speaking, it is nerve endings in parts of the intestine that are irritated.
If the pressure on the tissue increases at the constriction, nerve fibres are compressed. As an effect, the affected person feels pain. However, it is also possible that the pain is caused by highly inflated intestinal parts.
If intestinal contents accumulate in the area in front of the constriction, more gases from intestinal bacteria are reactively produced there. If the mucous membrane is stretched too much, sensitive nerve fibers are also irritated. This also leads to the sensation of pain.
