How Long Does It Take To Heal After Hernia Repair?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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You should feel better after a few days and will probably feel much better in

7 days

. For several weeks you may feel discomfort or pulling in the repair when you move. You may have some bruising around the area of the repair. This is normal.

How long does it take for hernia mesh to heal?

After hernia mesh surgery, most patients can go home the same day. Full recovery time may take

four to six weeks

. Right after surgery, patients should perform only necessary daily functions but can return to light activity after a few weeks of recovery. Heavy activity can resume after six weeks.

How long does it take to get back to normal after hernia surgery?

Most people can return to work within

three days to two weeks

after surgery. People who perform manual labor may need more time off.

What is the fastest way to recover from hernia surgery?

  1. Rest when you feel tired.
  2. You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if your doctor okays it. Pat the incision dry. …
  3. Allow the area to heal. …
  4. Be active. …
  5. You most likely can return to light activity after 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the type of surgery you had.

How do I know if I damaged my hernia repair?

  1. Bloating and/or an inability to pass stools or gas.
  2. Fever when its cause is unknown.
  3. Chills, nausea, and/or vomiting.
  4. Warm or hot skin where the incision occurred.
  5. The wound from surgery is not healing in due time.

What is the side effects of hernia surgery?

Hernia Repair Surgery Complications

The most common adverse events following hernia repair with mesh are

pain, infection, hernia recurrence, adhesion, and bowel obstruction

. Some other potential adverse events that can occur following hernia repair with mesh are mesh migration and mesh shrinkage (contraction).

Is it normal to have pain 6 months after hernia surgery?

Experiencing pain after hernia surgery is part of the normal healing process. If you had inguinal hernia surgery in the groin area and your pain after surgery is lasting longer than six months, however,

it is considered to be chronic pain

. Chronic pain is not normal and should never be ignored.

Why is my stomach bigger after hernia surgery?

Why is my stomach bigger after hernia surgery? It is normal to experience swelling, pain and bruising at any surgical site, including areas post-op for hernia repair.

Swelling is due to the presence of fluid at the surgical area as the body goes through its healing process

.

How can I reduce my tummy after hernia surgery?

  1. Lose Weight After Hernia Surgery. Being overweight can put extra pressure on your abdominal wall. …
  2. Consume a High-Fiber Diet. …
  3. Stay Physically Active After Hernia Surgery.

Can you feel the mesh after hernia surgery?

There are nerves along the outside of the abdominal wall that can occasionally get entrapped in the mesh in that area, which can cause chronic pain and cause patients to feel hernia mesh after surgery. People who have a mesh plug used to repair their hernias often feel the mesh plug.

Does a hernia make you look fat?

Appearance.

The hernia will look like a bulge or bump in the scrotum or groin region

. Standing or bearing down with force will often make the bulge more noticeable. The bulge typically takes time to appear, but it can form suddenly after coughing, lifting heavy weights, straining, bending, or laughing.

What is the best position to sleep after hernia surgery?

The doctors do not recommend sleeping on the stomach after the surgery. This position can hurt your spine and can also pressurize the hip area. Try to control your sleeping habits if you are a stomach sleeper. It is best to sleep

on your side or back

.

How much should I be walking after hernia surgery?

Walking a little bit after your hernia surgery can go a long way so keep it to a few brief

5-10 minute sessions per day

for the first week or so after your surgery.

Is hernia repair major surgery?

Comparing surgical repair options


Open hernia repair is a major surgery

that's performed with the aid of general anesthesia or local anesthesia and sedation. It's done through one or two standard-sized incisions (three to six inches in length) that allow the surgeon to fully visualize and access the problematic area.

What is normal pain after hernia surgery?

After surgery to repair your hernia, you are likely to have

pain for a few days

. You may also feel tired and have less energy than normal. This is common. You should feel better after a few days and will probably feel much better in 7 days.

How often does hernia mesh fail?

Out of 3,242 patients, they found the cumulative incidence of mesh-related complications was

5.6 percent for open hernia repair and 3.7 percent for patients who had laparoscopic hernia repair

.

Will coughing damage my hernia repair?

Deep breathing and circulation exercises are good. Try to avoid vigorous coughing if your repair was done with the open method.

Coughing may strain your incision

. For a couple of weeks, when you need to cough or sneeze, splint your incision.

Why does hernia mesh fail?

In hernia mesh repair surgery, sometimes the body will reject the mesh because the body perceives the implant as an invasion and, thus, attacks it.

The immune system's attack on the foreign device may materialize as inflammation that can lead into infection and other complications, causing the mesh to fail

.

How much blood do you lose during hernia surgery?

In 97% of patients, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene mesh was used. Mean operating time was 97 minutes (range 11 to 270 minutes). Mean estimated blood loss was

35 mL (range 10 to 150 mL)

. Average hospital stay was 1.8 days (range 0 to 17 days).

How strong is hernia mesh?

Meshes used to repair large hernias need to withstand at least 180 mmHg before bursting. All synthetic meshes are sufficiently strong. 26, 30 Most commonly used mesh prosthetics have a

tensile strength of at least 32 N/cm

.

How do I know if my hernia mesh is damaged?

  1. Difficulty urinating or passing gas and stool.
  2. Excessive pain, bruising, or swelling.
  3. High fever (101 degrees)
  4. Increased redness or drainage from the incision.
  5. Nausea, vomiting or other flu-like symptoms.
  6. Stiffness in the abdomen.

How long does stomach stay swollen after hernia surgery?

Your belly will feel bloated for

about one week

; you may not be able to close your pants. This will pass as the gas in the abdomen is absorbed.

What is the healing Ridge after hernia surgery?

One to two weeks after surgery, you may notice a firm ridge under the incision. This is normal healing, called the “Healing Ridge,” and it is

the scar tissue forming in the several different tissue layers

. This will resolve over a few months. and will resolve with time.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.