Hernia Repair

[shattuck]

I am a very active person and have had a right inguinal hernia repaired 1 month ago using mesh and normal incision (not laparscopic). I was stepping up my activity level about 10 days post surgery, per approval of my doctor. I was running 3 miles, then 4 miles etc. up to 7 miles. I also started biking. Each time I was active, there was no pain during the activity. However there was general pain in the area of my groin for the rest of the day.
Since about 2 weeks ago, I have had the inability to straighten out my right leg, while in bed without a searing pain in the area of the incision down into my leg. Similar in pain to a cramp in the arch of the foot. If I am standing and lean my upper body backwards, thus stretching the area of my groin, I get the same pain. If I lightly push on the area just below the incision while my leg is out straight, the pain intensifies.
I had a visit to the doc to see what this was about where he told me to lay down on the exam table, which I did. The pain from that was about a 7 or 8 over 10, especially as he was poking around.
Doc said that between the mesh, scarring and swelling, there was probably pressure on the nerves running down into my leg when I was in the positions mentioned above. In an effort to cut down on swelling, I have been told to take an NSAID every day for the next 30 days and curtail all activity except walking. I have done that for about 4 days now and so far nothing has changed. Doc says that if nothing changes in a month, he will probably send me to a specialist for me to perhaps get some nerve block shots. If that is just going to cover up the problem, that's not what I want to do. Has anyone else experienced anything like this. I remain optimistic but concerned.

Steve Shattuck

[tommyd]

I just had bilateral inguinal hernia done 6 weeks ago. I have one side that is doing well and another that has been prodcuing pain a lot. I started to see an acupucturist and I really started to feel some results. I was significantly numb on the painful side, but now I have started to get feeling back. The acupucture treatment may take several visits, but it sure does get the areas blood flowing again and really gets me feeling better all over. While there treating the hernia they can also treat some other problem areas bothering you.

At one point in the 5th treatment, my lower half of the leg was completely numb during the session and after the needles were removed the numbness went away and I had more feeling in the groin area than ever before. The Dr. mentioned that the nerve is coming back and it is a slow process.

These treatments can add up, but going under the knife to fix something a second time does not excite me. I also found some Chinese herbal formulas listed to help hernia but I am going to discuss with my acupucturist first.

Be careful with took much exercising, after 6 weeks I tired t drive my truck with a stiff clutch for a weekend boating trip and had to cancel since the pushing the clutch was causing too much pain the following day.

I also recommend Qi Dong to get the flow going- Check out Pacific Healing Arts home page.