Can Hernia Belts Prevent Surgery?

Many a time when a patient is diagnosed with Hernia, he or she tends to find alternatives to surgery. In their quest, they come across what is known as the Hernia Belt or Hernia Truss. What is a hernia belt? Can a hernia belt prevent surgery? Is it safe to use? What is the expert opinion on the Hernia truss? Find out in this blog 

A hernia is an intestine coming out through a hole in the abdominal wall, and whenever the patient coughs or strains, more and more intestines bulge out. A hernia truss or belt is a strap that is worn around the groin and has thick padding or even metal in it on the front.

How does a Hernia truss work?

The basic mechanism by which a truss works is that when the hernia is pushed inside, this belt is tightly worn, and the thick metal area or the padded area presses as a stopper on the hole of the hernial defect and thereby keeps the hernia inside and prevents the hernia from popping out whenever the patient coughs or strains. This is how the truss was designed. This was once very popular.

But as the years progressed, we realized this may not be as useful as it was thought to be. Even though the mechanism looks very simple, it can cause more trouble than good.

Why Should You Not Consider a Hernia Truss?

There are several reasons why a hernia truss is a bad idea.

Firstly, the patient has to be extremely careful to ensure that the intestine that has come out of the hernia has gone back inside completely into the abdomen, and only then apply the truss. If the hernia does not reduce and the truss is applied tightly over it, what can happen? The intestine, which has come partially out, can get crushed between the truss and the abdominal muscles, and that can cause damage to the intestine.

Secondly, if you keep wearing tight compression clothes around your groin for a long time, it can stop enough blood from getting to that area. Because of the constant squeezing, the muscle can start to get weaker and thinner. So, the truss can make the already weak muscle even weaker, which might make the hernia get worse

Should you use Hernia Belts To Prevent Surgery?

Nowadays, we hardly ever advise patients with hernias to use a truss. Because surgery is very effective at curing hernias. If one wants to use a truss, there are certain things one has to keep in mind. A truss is a temporary solution to a hernia.

If, for some reason, somebody cannot undergo surgery immediately and the hernia is repeatedly causing pain or trouble, they can use the truss to keep the hernia inside until they undergo surgery. They should understand the correct way to apply a truss. Before applying the truss, generally, the patient is asked to lie down so that in the lying down position the hernia returns into the abdominal cavity, and then the truss is worn tight and then the patient can get up.

These are the things one should always keep in mind when thinking of using a truss. A truss is not an alternative to surgery. The only effective treatment for hernias is surgical repair. A truss is only a temporary bridge when surgery is not possible immediately.

Hernia Belt After Surgery – Abdominal Binder 

At the same time, there is something called a hernia belt, which we advise the patients to use. This is usually advised following a hernia operation. After the patient undergoes a hernia operation, especially a hernia in the abdominal wall like a ventral hernia or an incisional hernia, or any patient who has undergone major abdominal surgery, we recommend a different type of belt called an abdominal binder.

This is a very wide or broad elastic belt that is worn around the abdomen, and it gives good support to the tummy when the patient is recovering from a major operation. So initially, when the stitches are raw and the scar is just getting stronger, the patient needs some support from pain. And that is when these binders are very useful.

So, a hernia truss or a hernia belt is not useful before an operation, but an abdominal binder, which is a different type of belt, is extremely useful for patients who are recovering from a major abdominal surgery or a major ventral hernia surgery.

Do you want to know more about Hernia Surgery? Check out our other blogs on this topic.