Help! My Growing Lipoma Is Becoming Irritating
The good news about having a lipoma is that it’s usually not cause for concern and doesn’t require treatment. But if you have a lipoma that’s causing problems, here’s what you can do.
The Challenge of Diagnosing Hernias in Women
Hernias are much more common in men than in women which is why inguinal, or groin pain in a man is often originally suspected to be due to an inguinal hernia. In women, however, this is often not the case. I is not unusual for a female who has a hernia to undergo an average of four surgeries before finally identifying the real cause of her pelvic, or inguinal pain. Dr. Scott deVilleneuve of Surgical Associates of North Texas is one of the top-ranked hernia surgeons in McKinney, Texas. Dr. deVilleneuve is exceptionally skilled at diagnosing challenging hernia cases in women and performing laparoscopic surgery to finally alleviate your pain, even if you’ve been suffering for years.
Chronic pelvic pain in women is often misdiagnosed as something other than a hernia.
Hernias, specifically inguinal or groin hernias, are more common in men than in women. The signs and symptoms of hernias are often easier to diagnose in men as well. Part of this is because of the male pelvic anatomy is such that both direct and indirect inguinal hernias will cause an obvious bulge, which when coupled with discomfort in the region makes the diagnosis very straightforward. In addition to this, when looking at causes of groin or pelvic pain in males, the list of possibilities is rather short, with hernias far and away the most common cause.
In women, however, inguinal hernias are still the most common type of hernia, but the female anatomy is such that hernias are frequently not nearly as obvious as in men. Often times they are, and if so then the diagnosis will be made quickly, just like with men. If they are not obvious, however, there are a lot more possible causes of pelvic pain in women, and as a result a simple hernia often gets overlooked as a possible culprit of symptoms.
Many women undergo treatment, take medication, and even have surgical procedures to treat such issues as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and ovarian cysts. Though these treatments may alleviate some pain at first, if a hernia goes undiagnosed and untreated, the pain returns and is often disruptive to your quality of life.
Hernias come in different forms and cause consistent pain.
In addition to an inguinal hernia, you can also get a hernia:
- At the top of your inner thigh (femoral)
- At the site of a surgical incision (incisional)
- Around your belly button (umbilical)
Common hernia symptoms for women include:
- Burning or aching pain
- Pain in your groin when you cough, laugh, or lift something
- Constant pressure in your groin
- Pain that’s worse at the end of the day
- Burning sensation in your upper thigh
Because hernias are less common in women, you may not even think this is a possible cause of your abdominal pain or pelvic discomfort. Instead, you visit your gynecologist to rule out any reproductive issues, and if everything is fine, you go back home, with no answers or relief for your chronic pain.
An expert hernia surgeon can help.
If you’ve been through an overabundance of diagnostic testing or endured countless doctors’ exams and procedures to address your abdominal, pelvic, or groin pain to no avail, Dr. deVilleneuve can help. As an experienced hernia surgeon for both men and women, Dr. deVilleneuve knows what symptoms to consider and how to diagnose a hernia that other medical professionals may have missed.
Dr. deVilleneuve is also an expert at treating your hernia using minimally invasive or laparoscopic techniques that allow for a rapid return to normal activities following surgery.
If you’ve suffered with unexplained pelvic pain, it could be a small hernia that’s causing such disruptive symptoms in your daily life. Dr. deVilleneuve and the team at Surgical Associates of North Texas want to help you get to the underlying cause of your pain, so you can receive the treatment you need for effective, long-term relief.
Take the first step toward improving your quality of life. Call the office to schedule an appointment, or request the next available time using the convenient online booking tool.
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