Yoga For Ventral Hernia

Add as a preferred source on Google

Ventral hernia refers to hernia in the abdomen. Think of your abdomen as a big bag or a box containing many structures well packed and set into the small space called abdominal cavity. Solid structure like spleen, liver, kidneys and pancreas are all packed in the upper and back part of the cavity, mobile tubes of intestines (32 feet) and stomach are loosely coiled into the central and front space.

Looking at the material with which the box is made of, the back wall is very tough with bones thick muscles of the spine. Upper wall is the moving dome of muscle the diaphragm useful for breathing. The side walls are well supported by the ribs and pelvic bones connected by thick muscles. The front wall is the moving anterior abdominal wall made of only soft tissues. The two major layers are the flat sheets of muscles covered by the varying thickness of fat with an inner lining of peritoneum and outer lining of skin. These abdominal muscles consists of sheets and bands of muscles which are attached to the ribs above and pelvic bone below.

Ventral or abdominal hernia occurs if these muscles become weak and loose their strength or if there is a hole (gap) in these muscles. This hole or gap (even if the entire sheet of muscle) usually occurs in the naval, which is the natural passage through which the umbilical cord was connected to the mother, when you were in the womb. This gap may also occur through a surgical cut, if the muscle in the suture line does not heal perfectly (called incisional hernia).

The Incisional hernia can occur if the surgical tear in the abdomen took longer than expected to heel due to infection or if stitches give way during coughing or sneezing within 2 weeks after the surgery. Excessive fat on abdomen and weakness of the abdominal muscles (with or without a surgical sear) are the commonest factors that cause ventral hernia. The reason for this is lack of exercise. Any muscle in the body becomes weak and thinned out if you do not exercise it regularly.

The exercise that keeps the abdomen strong are forward body bending exercises. In the present day sedentary life style with enough gadgets available for transport, kitchen and cleaning work there is very little need for you to use the abdominal muscles. Hence unused abdominal muscles become too weak and thin.

What is the remedy? How to prevent abdominal hernia?

Prevention is better than cure.