Should I Have My Hernia Fixed?

In general all hernias should be fixed, especially in active, healthy patients. Factors that may influence whether a person gets his/her hernia repaired would include their health, age and presence of symptoms. In some circumstances the surgery may be more dangerous because of other health problems of the patient such as heart disease or lung disease. In this situation it may be safer to watch the hernia and/or wear a supportive device. Age has become less of a factor. What is more important than the chronological age of the patient is the physiological age of the patient. An eighty year old patient may have the constitution of a sixty year old or vise versa. When the patient does not have symptoms it is still advisable to procede with repair. The development of symptoms is somewhat unpredictable but the onset of symptoms can change an otherwise elective procedure to an emergent one. Lastly, a hernia whether it is symptomatic or not may prevent a patient from obtaining employment. Especially if the work entails heavy lifting or strenuous work.