In the hours and days following hernia surgery, patients often find that sneezing or coughing causes pain around the incision. While this may seem alarming, there is usually no reason to worry! Sneezing and coughing causes us to tense our core muscles, which will be sore while healing from hernia surgery.
The winter months bring lots of colds and sometimes the flu. If you find yourself needing to cough or sneeze, it's often helpful to place a pillow over your incision. This provides some support and comfort, and will hopefully decrease your pain when you cough or sneeze. Sharp pain is not uncommon after a cough or sneeze, and lingering effects should resolve in a day or two. It's very unlikely that the hernia will return as a result of this. One of the benefits of our Fast Recovery Hernia Surgery (open preperitoneal repair) is that the natural anatomy of your abdomen reinforces the repair’s durability1-4.
At Boston Hernia, we believe that patients should be well prepared for surgery. We discuss what to expect around the time of surgery at your consultation, in preparation before surgery, and have created post-operative handouts to guide you afterwards. Even with good preparation, concerns can arise after surgery and we encourage our patients to reach out as needed.
References:
1) Lorenz R, Akkersdijk W, Paiva De Oliveira G, Warren T, Soler M. Acceptance of Open Preperitoneal Repair in Inguinal Hernia Surgery Delphi-Consensus After an Anonymous International Survey Among European Hernia Society Members. J Abdom Wall Surg. 2025 Feb 4;3:13840. doi: 10.3389/jaws.2024.13840. PMID: 39967918; PMCID: PMC11833113.
2) Reinhorn M, Fullington N, Agarwal D, Olson MA, Ott L, Canavan A, Pate B, Hubertus M, Urquiza A, Poulose B, Warren J. Posterior mesh inguinal hernia repairs: a propensity score matched analysis of laparoscopic and robotic versus open approaches. Hernia. 2023 Feb;27(1):93-104. doi: 10.1007/s10029-022-02680-0. Epub 2022 Sep 20. PMID: 36125632; PMCID: PMC9931785.
3) Agarwal D, Bharani T, Fullington N, Ott L, Olson M, Poulose B, Warren J, Reinhorn M. Improved patient-reported outcomes after open preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair compared to anterior Lichtenstein repair: 10-year ACHQC analysis. Hernia. 2023 Oct;27(5):1139-1154. doi: 10.1007/s10029-023-02852-6. Epub 2023 Aug 8. PMID: 37553502; PMCID: PMC10533599.
4) Bharani T, Agarwal D, Fullington N, Ott L, Olson M, McClain D, Lima L, Poulose B, Warren J, Reinhorn M. Open preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair has superior 1-year patient-reported outcomes compared to Shouldice non-mesh repair. Hernia. 2024 Apr;28(2):475-484. doi: 10.1007/s10029-023-02936-3. Epub 2023 Dec 23. PMID: 38142262.
20 Walnut St, Suite 100, Wellesley, MA
6 Tsienneto Rd, Suite 301, Derry, NH
About Dr. Reinhorn & Dr. Fullington
Dr. Michael Reinhorn and Dr. Nora Fullington are leading specialists in inguinal hernia and umbilical hernia surgery. Their mission is simple- to provide better outcomes to patients needing hernia surgery. They achieve this by using evidence-based surgical methods and approaching abdominal core health holistically. Together with their skilled physician assistant teams, they provide a one-of-a-kind focused practice designed to provide a superior patient experience. They perform approximately 1,000 hernia surgeries each year, offering a tailored approach to anesthesia, consideration of mesh vs no-mesh repairs, laparoscopic and open surgery, and non-surgical interventions. Boston Hernia contributes to the continuous advancement of hernia care by tracking patient outcomes, participating in mission-driven organizations, lecturing across the U.S., and publishing medical literature. In addition to serving the greater Boston area at our offices in Wellesley, MA and Derry, NH, we accommodate out of state patients with long-distance scheduling.