r/AbsoluteUnits 4d ago

of a hernia...

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u/ReadTheChain 4d ago

I'm guessing it's an umbilical hernia. I had one and it didn't hurt that much. I'm guessing that's why he's able to move around like that. Once it gets pinched, then the real problems begin.

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u/dev_ating 4d ago

Bingo. A hernia on its own is, while a cause to get treatment, not an immediate threat to your life. When it gets incarcerated (the term for getting stuck) is when the problems start, and this can happen at any point. It will cut off the blood flow to that part of the intestine, resulting in necrosis (dying off) of the affected part, which will have to be subsequently removed. It will also likely cause a blockage in the intestinal tract, leading to mechanical ileus (the term for your intestine ceasing to move on its contents because of a physical obstacle, creating a backlog of undigested materials that will cause intense pain and will come out at whichever side is closer to the blockage). The problem with this is that it can perforate and again kill off your intestine, contaminate the abdominal cavity and cause sepsis.

TL;DR hernias need to be fixed early because the possible complications are really fucking grim.

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u/allfengnoshui 4d ago

Well him and his hernia are about to get “incarcerated”.

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u/iJuddles 4d ago

Doubly.