What is a hernia belt? How hernia belts work

Hernia is a common and frequently occurring disease. According to conservative estimates, there are more than 2 million new hernia patients in my country each year, but the rate of seeking medical treatment is very low. Many patients are afraid of surgery and prefer to cure their hernia through conservative treatment. So what is the therapeutic principle of hernia belt?

Historical Development

Hernia belts are an ancient method of treating hernias that have existed as early as 900 BC. At that time, cloth strips were used to wrap around the hernia to prevent it from bulging.

In the nearly three thousand years since then, methods such as hanging upside down, cauterization, surgical removal of the scrotum, and suturing of the hernia sac have gradually emerged, but the hernia belt is still the most effective method. Hernia belts have also been gradually improved to be more comfortable and more convenient.

It was not until 1887 that Italian doctor Bassini invented a completely new concept of hernia surgery - the Bassini procedure. Since then, surgery has become the only way to cure hernia and the main treatment for hernia, while the hernia belt has gradually stepped down.

Treatment Principle

Hernia belts come in various forms, but the principle is to physically squeeze the hernia back into the abdominal cavity and press the defective hole to prevent the hernia from bulging out again. Some hernia belts have pads filled with traditional Chinese medicine, magnets, etc., in the hope of achieving internal treatment and external treatment to cure hernia.

However, most hernias in adults are abdominal wall defects caused by acquired reasons and will not heal on their own. A hernia belt can indeed compress the defect, reduce the protrusion of the hernia, and improve local soreness, indigestion and other discomforts, but it will not heal the defect.

Long-term compression will lead to local muscle atrophy, making the abdominal wall weaker and the defect more obvious. In addition, the compression of the hernia belt causes friction and adhesion of the tissues around the defect, making it more likely to develop irreversible hernia and increase the difficulty of surgery.

Therefore, a hernia belt cannot cure hernia completely. Every year, there are many patients who delay surgical treatment due to the use of hernia belts, which leads to the disease developing to a very serious level or even acute hernia incarceration before they seek medical treatment.

User Experience

1. The use of a hernia belt requires the pad to be tightly pressed against the defect, which often causes body pain and restricted movement. If it is tied loosely, not only will the compression effect not be achieved, but the hernia will still come out if you move a little.

2. Hernia belts are uncomfortable, and many people throw them away after using them for a few days.

3. The hernia belt rubs against the skin for a long time, especially when it is hot and easy to sweat, which makes it very easy to develop local skin diseases such as eczema. Long-term compression can also cause local skin vitiligo. Long-term wearing of a hernia belt by children will also affect their normal growth and development.

4. Some patients lack knowledge and do not wear the belt correctly. Some patients have incarcerated hernia without knowing it and continue to use the hernia belt, which only makes their condition worse.

To sum up, we have made it clear that hernia belt is only a temporary solution and not a permanent cure.

So is the hernia belt worthless? No, it is suitable for the following patients:

For babies under six months old, you can try a hernia belt. However, it must be used scientifically under the guidance of a doctor. Pay attention to local adverse reactions to avoid affecting the baby's growth and development. Long-term wear is not recommended.

For patients who are elderly, frail, not expected to live long, or have contraindications to surgery, a hernia belt can reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, and reduce complications;

For hernia patients who cannot undergo surgical treatment temporarily, such as pregnant hernia patients, the bulge of the hernia can be prevented and the development of the hernia can be delayed to a certain extent.

Some hernia belts are used after surgery to help stop bleeding and tissue adhesion, and increase the patient's safety awareness.

Editor's tip: A hernia belt is not a safety belt, so don't wear it if you can. With the maturity of hernia surgical techniques, the popularization of tension-free repair, and the advancement of anesthesia and analgesia methods, hernia day surgery has matured, and treatment has become unprecedentedly convenient. Hernia can be cured in one day, relieving the patient of years or even decades of pain, and avoiding life-threatening risks such as acute incarceration of hernia.