my mom is in her 80s. Though her doc tells her, “it’s amazing how sharp your mind still is” her overall health is very poor–he didn’t think she’d live to Christmas 04’!! Then she developed this large bulge in her abdomen, very noticeable on her tiny body frame, doc said it’s a hernia, but also said she’s too frail and cannot risk surgery, so he’ll “treat her for her pain when it comes, there’s nothing else we can do.” Is it safe to leave these hernias in the body in an already unhealthy frail person? What can happen? btw, mom doesn’t want a 2nd opinion, in her mind, whatever her doc says is gospel.
I have bilateral inguinal hernias, and elected not to have surgery. I know that if I ever have excruciating pain, I might require emergency surgery, but I don’t think my hernia warrants surgery now, as I rarely have any pain from it. I know from research I did, that older people often wear a type of patch which compresses the area of the hernia, and prevents it from bulging out any further. The only real danger is if part of the intestine pokes through the weak abdominal muscle wall, and becomes trapped. Then, strangulation of the bowel can occur; if not treated promptly, it can cause death.