Can a Cyst feel like a hernia?
You lay down to sleep one night, resting your hands on your belly and notice a weird lump. First thoughts. “Is it a tumor? Cancer? Hernia?!” After a lot of Google searching you may be convinced it is most likely a hernia. This is exactly what happened to me. However, even with the assurances of Doctor Google, I still wondered, “can a cyst feel like a hernia?”
I had a cyst removed when I was 16. Maybe another one sprung up?
I thought surely a qualified real life doctor would be able to tell me what the lump in my belly was.
I was wrong.
Why My Cyst Felt Like A Hernia
There are a few reasons why my cyst felt like a hernia:
- The lump in my stomach popped up right after abdominal workouts. That was the biggest clue. Hernias commonly form when stomach muscles tear under intense pressure. I was certain I must have over done it.
- It didn’t feel painful until I had lived with it for over a year. My research on hernias told me that some hernias are very painful, but some aren’t. For some reason this seemed like another clue that I had a hernia. But, now I know that cysts don’t always feel painful either!
- After feeling my tummy bulge with their hands, 4 out of 4 doctors told me with confidence that the lump in my belly was definitely a hernia! I went to see the first 2 doctors for reasons unrelated to the hernia, but while I was there, I figured I’d ask, “What is this lump in my stomach?” One visit was just a physical for my truck driving job. The other visit was for a back doctor. However, when I went to see actual surgeons to get the hernia checked out, 2 out of 2 surgeons said the lump was definitely a hernia, and they scheduled surgery with no imaging required! (I cancelled surgery with the first doctor, because he seemed shady and had terrible reviews!)
Why Isn't Imaging Required Before Hernia Surgery?
You may be wondering, “Why isn’t imaging required before hernia surgery?” I have found some answers that I will provide here. This is what surgeons will probably tell you.
Imaging Is Seen As Unnecessary Before Hernia Surgery
Across the medical field, imaging is seen as unnecessary before hernia surgery. Surgeons are trained to diagnose hernias by simple physical examination. This is the accepted standard. There are some cases where imaging may be ordered, but for the most part, it is seen as unnecessary for hernia diagnosis.
In 2019, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons recommended cancelling the use of ultrasound for evaluating inguinal hernias prior to surgery.
According to a scientific article from the National Library of Medicine, “Of 2,162 patients who underwent inguinal hernia surgery, 249 patients had related imaging studies 6 months prior to surgery. 47% of patients received unnecessary imaging.”
Ok… Can we pump the brakes for a minute and evaluate that statistic? What determines that imaging work was unnecessary?!
Let’s pretend I got imaging done before my surgery, and let’s pretend that imaging revealed that I did indeed have a hernia. Would that imaging be considered unnecessary, just because it confirmed that the scheduled surgery was the correct type of surgery that needed to happen?
Because, what actually happened is that imaging was not ordered for me. Instead surgery was ordered, I was cut up, and then I was woken up to, “Surprise!!! It’s not a hernia, it’s actually a cyst! We didn’t fix it. Now you have to schedule imaging, tests, and another surgery to remove the cyst.”
Imaging Is Seen As An Avoidable Risk
There is a part of me that really appreciates the fact that imaging is seen as an avoidable risk. I’m practically feral. I don’t have a primary care doctor, I don’t get seasonal vaccines, I don’t go for check-ups of any kind. I am the biggest advocate for minimal health care!
However, when I decided to get my “hernia” repaired, I did so because the thing had grown to 4 times its original size over the course of a year and had started causing me pain.
The National Library of Medicine states that overuse of imaging exposes patients to unnecessary radiation that can pose health risks. Again, I appreciate the concern for my health. I really do.
But, if you were to ask me, “Would you rather have an unnecessary ultrasound, or would you rather have an unnecessary surgery?” Which one do you think I would pick?!
The real risk I would have loved to avoid would have been an unnecessary surgery that revealed my “hernia” was actually a cyst. I’m not trying to scare you but, even a routine surgery can result in fatal complications.
I’d rather risk an unnecessary ultrasound than an unnecessary surgery any day!
Imaging Is Seen As An Unnecessary Expense
Imaging is seen as an unnecessary expense to patients and insurance companies for something that is supposedly so easily diagnosed by hand, such as a hernia.
Right…
Luckily, my insurance is pretty good and will cover the bulk of my expenses for both surgeries, but I am still paying more in medical bills with two surgeries than I would have paid with the one correct surgery.
As far as insurance goes… The lack of imaging done on me has resulted in the waste of thousands of dollars worth of medical expenses! The incorrect and unnecessary surgery cost my insurance company around $24,000! My second surgery, the one I actually needed the entire time, will probably cost the insurance company even more than that, because it is a more complex procedure. (Hysterectomy)
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of a sonogram that cost $24,000! Thousands of dollars would have been saved if imaging had been ordered.
Imaging Should Be Required Before Hernia Surgery
Imaging should be required before hernia surgery, because the old “feel” test with the hands is not accurate all the time. A lump in your stomach can be any number of things!
And, yes, a cyst can feel like a hernia. In my case that’s exactly what it was the whole time. A cyst. Not a hernia.
If imaging had been required before my surgery, my situation would look like this.
- I could have had the correct surgery done the first time and avoided an unnecessary, incorrect, and exploratory surgery.
- I would have benefited from less trauma. Surgery is a big deal to me! Aside from the physical trauma… Apparently I was sleep talking about childhood trauma when under the anesthesia!
- I would have appreciated more time being active and healthy this year recovering from one surgery instead of 2.
- I could have spent my paid vacation time on an actual vacation instead of a second surgery, since I used all of my sick time on the first, unnecessary, surgery.
- I could have used the money spent on 2 surgeries to pay off my credit card debt.
- I could have had the real problem operated on a lot quicker if imaging and the correct surgery had been done. But, I’m still dealing with the pain of the cyst. The right surgery happens on the day I publish this post!
It's Your Body. Speak Up!
My surgeon had chickens on his socks. I trusted him.
I still don’t think he’s a bad surgeon. It’s just the way they are trained like I mentioned above. The old “feel it with your hands” diagnostic method is the standard for hernia diagnosis. But, that doesn’t mean it should be. It’s your body. Speak up!
If you want imaging done before your “hernia” surgery, say so. Because, that lump in your belly could be a cyst like mine. A cyst can feel like a hernia, which makes the physical examination technique useless. Both a cyst and a hernia just feel like hard lumps in your belly. That’s it. There’s literally no way to tell the difference between them just by feeling the lump with your hands.
Whatever is plaguing you, I wish you the best of luck on your journey towards better health!
Thanks for reading.
Sources:
1. Unnecessary Use of Radiology Studies in the Diagnosis of Inguinal Hernias: A Retrospective Cohort Study, National Library of Medicine, September 9, 2020 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7940456/
2. Personal experience!!!