Monsoon Lifestyle Habits That Can Worsen Hernia Symptoms

Monsoon season brings about relief from the heat, fresh air, and a cool environment. However, for those who have a hernia or are at risk for developing a hernia, the rainy season can be surprisingly challenging. Many patients do not realize that hernia symptoms, during the rainy season, can worsen due to simple not-realizing-every-day habits, coupled with climatic changes, like changes in humidity, temperature, and increased infections.

A hernia is explained as the occurrence of an internal organ pushing through a weak part of the abdominal muscles. The common types of hernias are inguinal, umbilical, femoral, and incisional hernias. The weather alone does not cause a hernia, but it can influence the habitual changes in lifestyle, during the rain, which can make you feel discomfort from a hernia more abruptly

In this article, we will examine how the habits you experience, during the rain, can worsen your hernia symptoms. You can avoid discomfort and complications resulting from dressing for the weather of the rain and acting in regular habits.

1. A Habit of Eating Heavy, Oily and Street Foods More Frequently

Cravings in the monsoon are real. You will find pakoras, samosas, oily snacks, and spicy street foods to be hard to resist during the rainy season, yet these habits can cause gastritis, 
 

• Gas formation
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Acidity 
• Not only do these digestive problems increase intra-abdominal pressure, making hernia bulges worse, and cause sudden pain. Inguinal and umbilical hernias can particularly trigger gas and constipation.

Recommendation: Stick to light, home-cooked food that involves probiotics, fiber and warm/hot liquids to help the digestive process.

2. Decrease Intake of Water Leading to Constipation

Generally, for some reason, people drink less water in the rainy season as the weather feels cooler. Dehydration, which leads to constipation, creates the urge to strain while going to the bathroom, a significant risk factor of worsening any hernia or symptom.

Straining applies direct pressure to the weakened abdominal walls and causes: 

• More visible bulging
• Sharp pain
• More discomfort while moving
• Higher risk of incarceration or strangulation of the hernia

Tip: Aim for 2.5-3 litres of water per day, regardless of thirst. 

3. Sudden Heavy Lifting When Cleaning the Home or When Moving About While Travelling

The monsoon has some host of unintended circumstances:

• Water enters the home. 
• Heavy furniture needs to be moved. 
• You lift buckets and clean.
• Heavy luggage moving around while travelling. 

These sudden events involving lifting greatly increase the pressure within your abdomen and may intensify your hernia symptoms in the rainy season. After lifting or bending, patients frequently reported severe pain or bulging. 

Tip: Do not lift anything greater than 3-5 kg. Any weight should be lifted with a bent knee in the squat position and not with your back. 
 

4. Wearing Articles of Clothing that Are Tight and Restrict Movement
Wearing tighter layers of clothing in the monsoons, however, is often preferred to avoid wet, clinging fabric. Wearing tight things around the abdomen:

- Compresses the already weak muscle wall of the abdomen and abdominal cavity

- Intensifies discomfort 

- Interferes with normal circulation in the abdomen 

- Increases coughing pain. 

This point is very important again for those with inguinal or umbilical hernias who are very likely using tight clothing with waistbands, belts, or otherwise tight articles of clothing. 

Tip: Always wear comfortable, loose and breathable clothing.

5.Disregarding a Persistent Cough, Cold, or Throat Infection

The monsoon brings viruses which can lead to:
 

- A cough 

- A cold 

- A throat infection 

- Bronchitis 

As previously mentioned, a continuous cough will continuously increase pressure in your abdomen repeatedly and also lead to worsening of your hernia symptoms in the rainy season. Many patients often ignore a cough believing it to be seasonal, but ignoring the unrelenting and extreme pressure in the abdomen can lead to enlargement of the hernia sac. 

Tip: Treat your cough early.Steam inhalation, warm water, and doctor-recommended medicine would be preferred.

6. Poor Gut Health Due to Contaminated Water and Food

 

Monsoon increases waterborne infections:

• Diarrhoea
• Food poisoning
• Stomach infections
• Indigestion

Food poisoning or stomach infection can trigger vomiting, and vomiting generates sudden pressure on the abdominal wall, which leads to significant hernia pain and problems for the person.

Tip: Eat fresh warm food and think whether to eat street food, unfiltered water, or raw salad item outside home.

7. Reduced Exercise and Weak Core Muscles

The monsoon weather limits outdoor metabolism. Few will walk or jog due to wet roads. Reduced metabolism weakens the core muscles, weakening the area where the hernia is.

Weak Muscles = Increased Risk of Protrusion, Pain, and Discomfort

Suggestion: do safe indoor exercises, for example

• Gentle stretching
• Pelvic tilts
• Basic core strengthening (*after you get approved by doctor)

Do not lift or do strenuous exercises, e.g.; crunches or weight-training.

8. Sleep After Heavy Meals

The rainy season increases appetite; many would enjoy warm heavy dinners. Sleeping after eating causes:

• Bloating headaches
• Reflux
• Heavy stomach

It is particularly harmful for hiatal hernia, as stomach acid can come back from the stomach and into patients' throat, increasing pain and discomfort.
Tip: Maintain a 2-3 hour gap of time from eating.

9. Patient Delays Treatment for Some Weather Considerations

Patients would avoid clinics, hospitals, inundated streets, blockages, timing will lessen, and think it will all go away, to simply not to pursue treatment.

Delays will improve the greater risk of needier circumstances:

• Incarcerated hernia
• Strangulated hernia
• Major infection
• Out of control pain

Laparoscopic hernia surgery in practice is quick, new and modern for healing even during the monsoon season safely and securely.

When to Seek Emergently?

Patients would need to see the doctor if there is any immediate and new sore spots and segments of pain. Casual signs include:

Sudden onset of severe pain after reasonable activities
 

• Redness in the swelling area or is hard
• Nausea or vomiting
• The hernia cannot be returned
• High fever
• Severe constipation/bloating

All of these actions may be related to needing immediate care for many people.

Monsoon is a beautiful forgotten season like the sun, rain brings with it a reflective set of lifestyle ideas, which will aggravate each person's hernia.  If the patient avoids heavy foods, stays hydrated, avoids constipation, avoids heavy duties, and a good immune system to limit discomfort and disasters.

Think of it in a timely, experience any pains in the same area, swelling of any portion of the body, discomfort in the same pain body, transport to an outpatient clinic and/or ED should be time.

Hernias won’t get better without care and timely attention. 

Allow our hospital to help in expert diagnosis, advanced care, diagnosis, or hernia issues: 

Gem Hospital . The leading centre for minimally invasive / advanced surgical care, on all parts of India.

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