What is hernia?

A Hernia is a bulge or protrusion of soft tissue that has forced its way through or between muscles. When your abdominal muscles are well toned and firm, they press on various organs and tissues within your body helping to keep them in their correct anatomical position. When these muscles are allowed to become weak and lose their tone, however, they are no longer able to perform their function efficiently; any undue strain or pressure inside the abdomen can force the muscles to part at a particular point. This allows a part of the abdominal contents, generally a section of the intestine, to push its way through the unnatural opening created by the weak muscles and to become a visible bulge or sack called hernia.

All forms of hernia are generally the result of muscular weakness. It should be obvious, therefore, that surgery accomplishes nothing in so far as removal of causes is concerned; hence, the height rate of recurrence and complications. For example, it is not uncommon for a hernia to be surgically corrected on one side of the body and shortly thereafter for another one to appear on the opposite side.


The common assumption that a hernia is the result of heavy lifting is false. Weightlifters seldom, if ever, develop a hernia. It is generally a man who sits in an office all week and then helps his wife move a sofa on Sunday who acquires a hernia. If his internal abdominal muscles were firm and well toned, he could easily lift the sofa without acquiring a hernia or rapture. A hernia is not necessarily a rupture. It is usually a forced stretching of a natural opening, an excessive separation of the muscular tissues. The real cause, therefore, is a weakness of muscles in the abdominal wall permitting the hernia sac to descend, usually resulting from lack of proper exercise.

Here are two types of hernia:

• Inguinal – sack protrudes through the abdominal wall in the region of “Hesselbach’s triangle,” a region bounded by the rectus abdominus muscle, inguinal ligament and inferior “epigastric” vessels.

• Femoral - occurs in a similar but slightly lower position than an inguinal hernia.

Doing things that are difficult is good for you! Difficult and impossible are not the same words! Doing things that are difficult strengthens your will-power, self-discipline, and self-control. In other words, it strengthens your mental muscles. And like any other muscles, the more you use them, the stronger they become.