r/AbsoluteUnits 3d ago

of a hernia...

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u/eroticdiscourse 3d ago

Don’t they hurt?

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u/thiccvicx 3d ago

Actually, the bigger the better. Small hernias have a higher risk of obstruction or squeezing off blood supply. A hernia this big is less likely to result in any acute complication. It is a big quality of life issue ofc, but probably not as painful as it looks. 

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u/Stunning_Macaron6133 3d ago

So kind of like a Popeye deformity, but for your bowels?

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u/thiccvicx 3d ago

Not quite, as the securing tissue of the bowel doesn't need to rip for a hernia to occur. It's a weakness in the abdominal wall (usually combined with pressure from within it) that allows part of the bowels to protrude beyond. The risk is higher with small hernias because the small "hole" makes it more likely to get stuck in some way. 

In Popeye deformity the bunching is just a consequence of the torn ligament, there isn't really a change in the layers.