Recovery Time for Hernia Surgery
Most of the time, surgery can successfully remove a painful hernia so you can move forward with your life. But what is the recovery time for hernia surgery, and what problems should you look out for? How long does it take to heal from hernia surgery? Are there surgery-free ways to heal a hernia? When should you contact a doctor? Like any health condition, hernias and hernia surgery come with a flood of questions.
Your healthcare provider is the best person to ask about your specific situation. Still, we can share plenty of information about this simple procedure! Today, we’ll be taking a look at hernias, healing methods including surgery, collagen and hernia, and what you can do to speed up your healing.
What is a hernia?
A hernia is a weakness in the wall of your abdomen. This weakness allows tissues like fat or organs to bulge out, which can be intensely painful and lead to more severe complications. There are several different types of hernias, and different treatment options depending on the type of hernia you have.
The most common is an inguinal or “groin” hernia, which occurs near the crease between your abdomen and upper thigh. Obesity, age, chronic coughs, and intense physical labor can all contribute to a hernia forming. Each of these things will also impact your recovery time for hernia surgery, so make sure to discuss them with your doctor.
Occasionally, hernias can also form due to genetic defects that affect your connective tissue, such as collagen vascular diseases. Collagen and connective tissue are responsible for holding your muscles together to prevent fat or organs from slipping out. When you have a condition that weakens that connective tissue, it doesn’t just impact your joints, but may increase your risk of hernias, as well.
You may also hear about “sports hernias”, but these are not true hernias. Sports hernias are caused by repetitive hip or leg motions and are not associated with any bulging fat or muscle, or any weakened abdominal wall. Typically, sports hernias are simply strained or sprained muscles and can be treated with rest and physical therapy, without surgery.
Can collagen heal hernias?
If collagen vascular disease can cause hernias, can collagen heal hernias, too? Great question! Collagen peptides benefits can extend throughout the body, and they’re very well documented. Supplementing with collagen peptides may reduce the risk of hernias, and can help speed surgery recovery time and reduce scarring.
Those are some pretty significant benefits, so what are collagen peptides? Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. Collagen peptides are broken-down pieces of collagen protein that are easier for the body to digest. Collagen supplements will either be marketed as “collagen peptides” or “hydrolyzed collagen”, but these are the same thing.
Collagen can help with the prevention of hernias and can speed up recovery time for hernia surgery, but on its own, collagen cannot heal hernias. If you notice a painful bulge that makes sitting, standing, or moving through your day difficult, it’s important to seek medical care right away.
Common hernia treatments
The most common hernia treatment is surgery. If your hernia is very minor, your doctor might recommend monitoring it for a while before taking any action.
During this time, you might wear a truss, which is a supportive undergarment that holds the hernia in place. Your doctor may also recommend increasing fiber intake for more regular bowel movements and reducing coughing or strenuous activity.
Once the hernia progresses to the point that surgery is necessary, there are a few different things that could happen. Recovery time for hernia surgery will be different depending on the type of surgery that you get.
Open surgery has been around for the longest and is what most people tend to think of. Your surgeon will make an incision near the site of the hernia, perform the repair, and then stitch it closed.
You may also be a candidate for laparoscopic surgery. In this type of surgery, your surgeon uses tiny cameras and miniature, sometimes robotic, surgery tools. The recovery time for hernia surgery with this type of incision is shorter since the incisions themselves are much smaller than with open surgery.
Not every hospital can perform laparoscopic surgery, and not every hernia is a good candidate. Your doctor can tell you more about the options available and about the recovery time for hernia surgery you can expect.
In addition to surgery, your doctor may use surgical mesh to reinforce the area with the weakened tissue. This surgical tissue can be made of synthetic materials or animal tissue. Surgical mesh prevents hernias from recurring and provides extra stability while your body is working through the recovery time for hernia surgery.
How long does it take to heal from hernia surgery?
Typically, recovery time for hernia surgery is only a couple of weeks. You might be cleared to return to work as soon as a week after your surgery or be required to rest for as long as six weeks. Jobs that require heavy lifting, long hours on your feet, or other physical labor will require you to take more time off, while office jobs allow you to safely return to work sooner.
Post-surgery recovery will look different for everyone. People who have severe hernias or other complications will take longer to heal from hernia surgery. Laparoscopic surgery or people who have minor hernias or no complications can mean a shorter recovery time for hernia surgery.
You might need a more precise answer to the question, “How long does it take to heal from hernia surgery?” Make sure you ask your doctor since your healthcare team will be able to tell you which recovery timeline is expected for your situation. Generally, though, hernia surgery is a safe procedure with a relatively quick healing time.
How many days of rest is required after hernia surgery?
Immediately following your surgery, you should expect to spend a day or two in bed. You can ask a friend or family member to check in on you, since you may need extra help during this time. After about a day of intense rest, hernia recovery shouldn’t look too different from your normal life.
Most of the recovery time for hernia surgery should just be spent taking it a little easier than usual. Avoid intense workouts or lifting heavy things for a week or more, according to your surgeon’s instructions.
Going on regular walks and gentle stretching, on the other hand, is encouraged! These things encourage blood flow and prevent muscles in other parts of your body from deteriorating while your core muscles and incision heal. Just make sure you don’t overdo it, and stay well-hydrated!
What is the hardest part of hernia surgery recovery?
The hardest part of surgery recovery will vary from person to person. Some people find the initial pain in the first 24 hours after the surgery to be the hardest part.
Other people feel like the overall recovery time for hernia surgery is the most difficult. Needing to take life slowly for a while during healing can keep you from sports and high-energy hobbies you love. Many people who have had hernia surgery are surprised at the amount of time it takes them to be back at 100%, and might feel discouraged.
Since recovery time and experience vary from person to person, no one thing makes hernia surgery recovery more difficult than any other surgery or illness. The important thing to remember is that you can always do something to alleviate the hardest parts of hernia surgery recovery.
Pain management techniques and medicines can help with the initial discomfort after your surgery. You can also work with your doctor if medication is needed to keep your stool extra soft in the first few days, so you don’t have any pain from constipation.
If you have a longer recovery time for hernia surgery and you’re struggling with feeling limited, you aren’t alone. You can work with a physical therapist or do physical therapy exercises at home to help your recovery progress without injuring yourself further. You can also try making dietary adjustments to support healing, like taking advantage of the benefits of collagen and hernia recovery.
When to call a doctor about hernia surgery recovery symptoms
Even if your recovery time for hernia surgery is on the longer end, you shouldn’t notice your pain getting worse over time. That’s one of the signs you may need to follow up with a doctor. You should also call a doctor if you notice:
- Redness, heat, or swelling at your incision site
- Bad-smelling pus or other drainage from the incision site
- Severe nausea or inability to keep food down
- Fever
- Severe constipation or inability to pass gas
You should also visit the emergency room or call 911 immediately if you notice:
- Sudden pain in your groin or legs, as this can be a sign of a blood clot
- You’ve lost consciousness or feel like you may lose consciousness
- Your wound soaks through a bandage with bright red blood
- Your incision comes open or your stitches are loose
Ways to make recovery from hernia surgery easier
Shortening your recovery time for hernia surgery isn’t the only thing you can do to make recovery easier! Filling your rest time is also important. Try picking up a hobby you can do while sitting or reclining, like reading, knitting, drawing, or learning a new language. Enriching your life can make the recovery time pass faster and help you learn a new skill!
You’ll also want to incorporate things that support your body’s natural healing processes. Can collagen heal hernias? Not on its own, but collagen can definitely support healing and strengthening. Exercising and stretching can also speed recovery, as long as you’re careful not to overextend yourself.
Exercise and hernia surgery recovery
Exercise can help or hurt recovery time for hernia surgery, depending on how you do it. Make sure to exercise safely, following the instructions of your doctor and your body’s pain signals. Stop if you feel intense pain and make sure to get plenty of rest.
As long as you’re following your doctor’s advice, walking and other exercises for hernia recovery can boost your recovery time and reduce the likelihood of more hernias in the future.
Collagen and hernia surgery recovery
Collagen wound healing properties are well documented, and more studies are still being released that show the same thing. This only makes sense, since your body’s collagen and hernias are so closely related.
Remember, the connective tissue and muscles that can weaken and cause a hernia are largely made of collagen! Your body also uses collagen to repair damaged tissue, such as the tissue that was damaged by the incision.
So, can collagen heal hernias? No, the only thing that can fully heal a hernia is surgical intervention. However, supplementing with collagen can shorten recovery time for hernia surgery and can strengthen the muscles and tissue responsible for causing hernias.
Speeding up recovery time for hernia surgery
Each person’s experience of hernia surgery will be different, including their recovery time for hernia surgery. Sometimes, it can feel like you’re spending a whole lifetime wondering, “How long does it take to heal from hernia surgery?” There is an end in sight. You don’t have to wait around while you heal.
Many of the same risk factors that contributed to the hernia forming will also impact healing, so you’ll want to be proactive. Exercising, staying hydrated, keeping your stool soft, and taking medical-grade collagen supplements can all speed up your recovery time for hernia surgery so you can get back to feeling like yourself.
