Having a hernia means you’re dealing with pain or a bulging mass. Depending on where your hernia is, you may have swelling, heartburn, trouble swallowing, or constipation.
On top of that, you’re working through lots of questions: Where to go for care? Do you need surgery? How much will treatment cost?
At UVA Health, we have answers to these questions and more. We’ll help you understand treatment options and build a care plan based on your individual needs.
Hernia Repair & Treatment at UVA Health
Hernias happen when an organ or tissue pushes (herniates) through a hole in your body into an area where it shouldn’t be. It passes through a weak spot in your muscle or tissue into your chest, abdomen, or groin.
We offer the full range of treatments for all types of hernias, from routine to complex. That includes both nonsurgical and surgical options.
Types of Hernias & Conditions We Treat
Complex Hernias
- Diaphragmatic
- Flank
- Hiatal/paraesophageal
- Incisional
- Large midline and lateral ventral
- Parastomal
- Recurrent
- Sports
- Traumatic
Common Hernias
- Femoral
- Inguinal
- Small midline abdominal
- Umbilical
Conditions
- Chronic pain
- Adhesions
- Mesh infection
- Nerve irritation
- Neurectomy
Hernia Treatment Without Surgery
In some cases, we can care for your hernia without surgery. Nonsurgical options include:
- Watch and wait: For some ventral and inguinal hernias, we can watch the hernia over time to make sure it doesn’t get worse. This is best for small hernias that aren't causing symptoms.
- Hernia belt (truss): This is a belt worn around your abdomen. It pushes the tissue back into the abdomen.
- Delaying the hernia growing: This includes quitting smoking, losing weight, controlling blood sugar, treating constipation, and more.
Helping You Get Ready for Surgery
Being as healthy as possible gives you the best chance of a good outcome from surgery. We work with family medicine and obesity medicine doctors who can help you:
- Lose weight
- Manage diabetes, constipation, or difficulty urinating
- Quit smoking
Hernia Repair Surgery
At UVA Health, you’ll find fellowship-trained surgeons who are experts in hernia repair surgeries.
Our surgeons repair hernias by carefully pushing the herniated organ or tissue back through the hole. That puts it back where it’s supposed to be. Then they’ll use stitches or mesh to close the hole.
In some cases, we don't need to use mesh. Or we can use a mesh that your body absorbs. This mesh goes away in 18-24 months.
Hernia repair surgery relieves your pain and other symptoms. And it keeps the hernia from coming back.
Advanced Hernia Techniques for an Easier Recovery
Whenever possible, our surgeons offer robotic and/or minimally invasive hernia repair. Robotic surgery helps our surgeons be more precise. Minimally invasive surgery means we make a few small cuts (incisions) instead of one large cut. This helps you recover faster with less pain.
Advanced Hernia Repair Surgeries
Learn about the advanced techniques we use during hernia repair surgery and how they can help you have an easier recovery.
Complex Hernia Repair From Experienced Surgeons
Our surgeons have the training and experience needed to repair complex hernias with abdominal wall reconstruction surgery. We’ll carefully separate the layers of your abdominal wall and move them back into their natural position. We may recommend this procedure if your hernia is large or you had a hernia that came back.
Hernia Care Close to Home
Whether routine or complex, you don’t have to travel far for treatment. At UVA Health, we offer hernia care in Charlottesville, Culpeper, and Northern Virginia.