As part of its crew health advice series, the UK P&I Club shared key points to watch with respect to hernias onboard. A hernia occurs when an internal part of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall.
The main cause of hernia is a weakness of the muscles. In seafarers, we see this due to ageing, being overweight, bowel problems such as constipation or most commonly, by lifting things that are too heavy. This causes repeated strain on the muscles which then leads to weakness and potential herniation of the fatty tissue or bowel.
There are 4 main types of hernia:
- Inguinal hernias – This is the most common type of hernia and mainly affects men. It happens when a fatty tissue or part of your bowel pokes through into your groin at the top of your inner thigh.
- Femoral hernias – These also occur when fatty tissue or a part of your bowel pokes through into your groin at the top of your inner thigh. These are less common and tend to affect women more than men.
- Umbilical hernias – This happens when fatty tissue or a part of your bowel pokes through your stomach near the belly button.
- Hiatus or Epigastric hernias – when part of the stomach pushes up into your chest by squeezing through an opening in the diaphragm, the thin sheet of muscle that separates the chest from the stomach.
Common symptoms are:
- A lump or bulging in the affected area. This may disappear when you lie down
- Discomfort or pain around the lump or bulge
Depending on the type of hernia you may also have:
- Heartburn
- Trouble swallowing
- Chest pain
Recommendations
When onboard ship, it is important to seek advice early on.
Many medical conditions can be treated more effectively and quickly when early help is sought. Speak to the Master or Chief Mate and report your symptoms. They will conduct an assessment and seek advice from a Doctor ashore.
The Club also recommends some moderations to lifestyle as well to ease the strain on the area.
This could include losing weight, if you smoke then try and give up as this can lead to weakening of the connective tissues, stop heavy lifting and when you do lift items make sure that you use safe manual handling techniques.
