Many Minnesota adults spend their days or nights working physical jobs. Whether you work in a warehouse, factory or similar environment, you can risk developing various work-related injuries. One of these injuries could be a hernia.
How hernias form
A hernia often happens around the stomach or groin areas. Hernias happen when one of your organs experiences a force that pushes it through surrounding tissue or muscle. Contrary to popular belief, hernias aren’t always painful. However, hernias almost always result in a noticeable protrusion or bulge.
Treating hernias
In most cases, hernias will require surgery to treat. But the need for hernia repair surgery might not be immediate. Sometimes, medical professionals continually monitor hernias to see if they worsen. A hernia can go away by itself, but this only happens with infants dealing with umbilical hernias.
While there are different ways to repair a hernia, most surgical methods involve carefully pushing back an organ to its original position and repairing the area with mesh or stitches. Depending on the location and severity of your hernia, your surgeon may advise you to avoid strenuous activity from one week to a few months.
Was it work-related?
If your hernia started or appeared at work, you could have a valid workers’ compensation claim. However, you’ll need to prove that your job is responsible for causing or aggravating your hernia.
For instance, you might provide proof of your hernia by presenting long-term medical documentation. Or a co-worker might have recorded a video of the incident causing your hernia.
