Samantha Jackson has the biggest hernia doctors have ever seen but cannot get operated on to fix it as she may lose her life. The 56-year-old mother of one from the UK first developed the condition, which happens in the abdomen or groin when one of your organs pushes through the muscle or tissue that contains it, in 2008. Jackson says she first felt a severe stomach ache after she was not able to push a trolley while shopping at a supermarket.
The huge bulge she has now was much smaller than “The doctor was able to just push it back in with his fingers,” she said in an interview with The Sun. Many times, a hernia appears on the outside of the body, as with Samantha. Doctors say not all hernias need to be operated on, but it depends on the symptoms that the patient has, like pain, feeling unwell, or difficulty in pooping, which means that blood supply to a section of the organ has been cut off, which can be life-threatening.
However, Samantha’s lump grew over the years. A few years back, she was to be operated on, but doctors had to cancel it, saying she was overweight and her blood pressure was too high. “I was put on medication to bring my blood pressure down, but after that, I started suffering very badly mentally, and I didn’t have the energy to chase follow-up appointments all the time.
“I stopped leaving the house and became housebound. Then, I had carers sent in, but still nothing happened,” she said.
However, by the time she could lose weight and keep all other parameters in control, her hernia grew too big to be operated on. “He said if he operated now, it would kill me, because the hernia has forced my organs down.” Samantha says she was told by three different surgeons that her case is the biggest hernia they have ever seen. The hernia has left her unable to work, and she now survives on disability benefits.
What is a hernia?
A hernia occurs when part of your insides bulges through an opening or weakness in the muscle or tissue that contains it. Doctors say most hernias involve one of your abdominal organs pushing through one of the walls of your abdominal cavity.
Mostly, hernias grow gradually as you get older, and regular wear and tear on your muscles begins to add up. They can also result from an injury, surgery, or birth disorder. A few common places in your body where you may get a hernia include:
- In your lower chest, through your diaphragm
- In your groin through your lower abdominal wall
- Along the front midline of your abdomen
- Through a former abdominal surgery incision
Are hernias common?
Overall, doctors say hernias are extremely common, even though a few types are more common than others. Some kinds of hernia affect at least 25 per cent of men across the world.
There are even types of hernias that occur in around 15 per cent of newborns, mostly umbilical.
Signs and symptoms of a hernia
Not all hernias cause symptoms, and different types of hernias may cause different symptoms:
- A visible lump or bulge that appears during certain activities
- Pressure
- A dull ache or pinching
- Pain
What causes a hernia?
A hernia occurs when a weakness or a preexisting opening in your muscle or connective tissue allows an organ or other tissue to push through the barrier. Also, doctors say a traumatic injury or surgery could cause it, but more often, it is a repetitive stress injury. You may be more likely to acquire a hernia if you have:
- A job that involves heavy lifting or many hours of standing
- Chronic cough or allergies
- Chronic constipation
- A history of abdominal or pelvic surgery
- Chronic obesity