Hernia

My grandfather (76) is suffering from a swollen groin for the past one year. It gets enlarged on coughing and by prolonged standing. A doctor has diagnosed it as hernia and advised an operation. But considering my grandfather’s age, we’re afraid of any operation. Instead, can we provide him with a hernia-belt? Please advise.

The truss (a belt-like appliance) can’t cure hernia and improper application may be harmful. Moreover, long-term use of truss weakens the nearby muscles and thus makes future surgery more difficult. Surgery is the ideal treatment because hernia may become complicated if left untreated. Some of the complications are serious and needs emergency surgery for saving the patient’s life. Keeping in mind your grandfather’s age, emergency surgery is always risky. You should immediately consult a surgeon.

Cyst

My brother (36) has a small and round but painless swelling on his back for the past two years. The skin on the swelling is tense and has a tiny blackish spot at the top through which a cheesy material comes out sometimes. Please suggest a remedy?

Most probably your brother is suffering from a cyst (a thin-walled abnormal sac containing fluid) arising from the skin, and these are medically called epidermoid cysts. These cysts develop from a gland at the root of the hair. They’re not cancerous, but your brother should consult a surgeon for diagnosis and treatment. Surgery should be carried out in such a case; otherwise there may be complications like infection and accumulation of pus within the cyst. You should not be concerned because it’s just a minor operation and doesn’t require admission in a hospital.

breast pain

My sister (28) is suffering from occasional breast pain for the past six months. The pain increases during her periods. She feels grain like nodules all over her breasts. Is she suffering from breast cancer? Please advise.

Keeping in account your sister’s age and the symptoms, it appears that she is not suffering from breast cancer. She is probably suffering from a harmless condition called fibroadenosis (benign breast lump). She should be given appropriate medicines for relief from the pain. She should, however, see a surgeon for proper evaluation and treatment.

face tumour

For the past two years, my father (50) has a swelling in the right side of his face, just below the ear. The swelling is increasing in size very slowly. There is, however, no pain. What should we do?

It seems that your father has a tumour in the parotid gland (a gland that secretes saliva into the mouth). The are several type of tumours that may afflict the parotid gland. Your father should see a surgeon for a proper diagnosis. It the swelling is diagnosed to be a parotid swelling then it should be operated, otherwise there is risk of complications. Some tumours in this area are non-cancerous at the onset, but may turn cancerous if left untreated for a long period. Some tumours, however, are cancerous from the beginning.

gallbladder stone

I’m a 43-year-old woman. I was recently advised to have an ultra-sonogram of the abdomen for irregularity of periods. Nothing abnormal was detected in the lower abdomen, but a stone was detected in my gallbladder. I don’t have upper abdominal pain, acidity or indigestion. Do I need an immediate operation of the gallbladder?

No, gallbladder stone in a symptom-free patient doesn’t always need surgery. Sometimes gallbladder stone can give rise to pain, indigestion and abdominal discomfort and sometimes it may slip into the bile duct resulting in jaundice. In such cases, patients are operated upon to remove the whole gallbladder along with the stone. But totally symptom-free gallbladder stones don’t need surgery, except in some conditions like diabetes. You should consult a surgeon, who can supervise a proper treatment.