| | What Doctors Don't Tell You: Can exercise and herbals help existing hernias? | |
Re the hernia article (WDDTY vol 15 no 5), is there any suggestion that exercises and herbal remedies aimed at the abdominal muscles have an effect on existing hernias (either preventing it from worsening or making it smaller)? - Brian Nicholson, via e-mail
WDDTY replies: If the hernia is reducible (contents can be shoved back) or symptoms are minor, then strengthening the abdominal wall may prevent hernia from worsening. But, according to medicine, the only ‘cure’ is surgery, although postoperative exercise or herbals (such as those based on traditional Chinese medicine) may help to prevent recurrence.