If you or someone close to you has suffered from a hernia, you know that this painful, annoying condition can be difficult to treat. Many patients diagnosed with a hernia are treated with hernia mesh implantation. While hernia mesh is meant to provide comfort and relieve pain, many patients suffer complications after treatment. Several hernia mesh lawsuits are underway against manufacturers of hernia mesh.
How To Prevent a Hernia From Occurring in the First Place
Hernias are common and tend to occur more often with age. When a hernia occurs, fatty tissue or an organ squeezes through a weak spot in the body’s fascia (connective tissue) or muscle.
The most common types of hernias include:
The vast majority of hernias are inguinal (up to 96%) and occur when the bladder or intestines push through the abdominal wall or into the inguinal canal. Men are naturally weak in this area and are far more likely to experience an inguinal hernia than women.
All hernias are caused by two factors: abdominal pressure and weakness of the fascia or muscle tissue. Sometimes, people who experience a hernia were born with muscle weakness in a certain area. Other times, muscle weakness can occur due to certain lifestyle factors. Smoking, poor nutrition, and obesity can all increase the likelihood that a person will experience a hernia.
Any activity that puts pressure on the abdominal area can result in a hernia. The most common causes of hernia include lifting heavy objects with improper form/ without stabilizing the abdominal muscles, pregnancy, straining the abdominal muscles due to diarrhea or constipation, and coughing or sneezing over a sustained period.
Preventing a hernia from occurring in the first place is much easier than going through the hernia healing process.
Hernias may be prevented by:
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising with proper form, and avoiding lifting weights or other objects that are too heavy for you
- Seeing a doctor for medical treatment if you’re experiencing persistent coughing or sneezing
- Not smoking, or quitting if you already smoke
If you think you may have a hernia, you must seek medical treatment right away. If you notice a lump or bulge in your groin area and you may have discomfort or pain around the lump, you may have an inguinal hernia. Symptoms of a hiatal hernia may be different and may include heartburn, chest pain, and other symptoms. Some hernias have no symptoms at all.
Hernias tend to get worse over time if left untreated. Your doctor will talk with you about different treatment options. Together, you’ll develop a treatment plan.
Suffering From a Hernia? Treatment Options
If you’re dealing with a hernia, you must get medical treatment to stop your hernia from becoming worse.
Surgery is the only way to fully repair a hernia. Some home remedies, like wearing a truss (a supportive undergarment that can support the area experiencing the hernia) and making dietary changes can help to stop your hernia from becoming worse.
Your doctor will evaluate your hernia and decide whether you need to get surgery. They may decide to wait and see if your hernia gets worse over time, or they may decide to operate right away.
The most common surgical procedure for hernia repair is the implantation of hernia mesh. The procedure is simple: your doctor will make an incision at the site of the hernia, move the organ or fatty tissue back where it belongs, then install hernia mesh in the weak spot in the muscle to reduce the likelihood that the hernia happens again.
There are several types of hernia mesh. Absorbable hernia mesh is absorbed by the body as your muscles become strong enough to contain the hernia. Non-absorbable mesh remains in the body to provide support and is not absorbed. Synthetic mesh, typically made of a type of plastic called polypropylene, may be absorbable or non-absorbable. Animal mesh is usually made from pig or cow intestines and is absorbed by the body over time.
Some people who undergo hernia mesh implantation surgery have a successful recovery. Many others have suffered problems from hernia mesh, resulting in many painful corrective surgeries.
Signs that you may be experiencing problems with your hernia mesh include:
- The body can reject the mesh, triggering the immune system to attack the foreign body
- Parts of the mesh can degrade, break off and move to other parts of the body, and leave sharp pieces behind
- Mesh can shrink and can cause tissue tearing or leave behind scar tissue
If you’ve had hernia mesh surgery and think you may be experiencing complications, you are not alone. Many hernia mesh manufacturers are being sued by people who have suffered adverse health effects as a result of hernia mesh implantation.
If You’re Dealing With Complications From Hernia Mesh, You Deserve Justice
Whether you’ve had hernia mesh surgery recently or it’s been years since you’ve undergone a hernia mesh procedure, it’s important to reach out to a lawyer if you believe you’ve experienced adverse effects as a result of hernia mesh implantation.
As of November 2020, people who have suffered complications due to hernia mesh implantation have received over $1.1 billion in compensation, mainly through multidistrict litigation procedures (MDL) against Atrium, Bard Davol, and Ethicon. If your hernia mesh came from another company, you can still file an individual suit.
Reaching out to an experienced litigation attorney is the first step toward getting the money you deserve after experiencing adverse effects related to hernia mesh.
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If you believe that you or a loved one were harmed by faulty Hernia Mesh, you may be entitled to compensation.
