India’s Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra may have to undergo surgery for a long-standing back injury. The athlete, who won a silver medal in the final of the men’s javelin throw event, has a hernia problem, which causes back pain.

Now he has gone to Germany for further evaluation so that it does not affect his performance in the upcoming tournaments.

Everything you need to know about hernia

A hernia is the protrusion of a normal organ, usually the intestines, from its normal location into another location. The most common type of hernia is an inguinal hernia, in which a portion of abdominal tissue such as fat or intestines protrudes through an opening in the lower abdominal wall, which separates the abdomen and groin.

An inguinal hernia occurs when a part of the intestine or fat tissue pushes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal wall (called the inguinal canal).

An inguinal canal is present on each side and provides the connection of the testes from the abdomen to the scrotum in males.

Inguinal hernia is more common in men (it affects 20% of men in their lifetime) than women (2%). According to Dr Ajay Kumar Kriplani, Minimal Access & Bariatric Surgery, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon, hernia may occur on both sides simultaneously in 20% of patients.

Symptoms of Inguinal Hernia

This is the most common type of hernia and usually affects men.

“The patient usually complains of a bulge in the groin area, which increases on coughing and reduces on lying down. It is usually painless but may cause mild discomfort,” said Dr Mayank Madan, director, Minimal Access and Bariatric Surgery, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram.

In children, this disease is present from birth, which is called congenital.

At a later age, it develops in people who have increased pressure on the abdomen, such as asthma patients, weight lifters, wrestlers, and people suffering from chronic constipation.

Inguinal hernia may occur in older people due to weakening of the muscles.

Dr Kripalani said that sometimes obesity can also lead to hernia as excess body weight puts extra pressure on the abdominal wall.

“It’s very rare that the cause is an injury or a previous surgery,” Dr. Madan said.

Experts said inguinal hernia, though painless, can sometimes get complicated (intestinal obstruction or strangulation), which can be life-threatening.

Dr Madan said, “This is a purely surgical problem and one should not go for emergency. The surgery is a simple day care procedure where a mesh is placed in the muscle bed as a strong barrier. This is usually done by keyhole laparoscopic or robotic technique.”

According to Dr. Kriplani, the use of a truss or supportive garment to treat inguinal hernia is outdated in modern medicine and is not recommended. It is only considered for patients who are not fit for surgery due to the risks of anesthesia.

After surgery, a person is discharged within 24 hours and usually resumes all regular activities within 3 to 4 days.