How long will it take me to recover from hernia surgery?

Recovery time for hernia surgery depends on the hernia itself (i.e. groin, hiatal, etc.) as well as the type of surgery (laparoscopic or open). Learn more from Mallik Piduru, MD from Oak Hill Hospital by watching this video.

Recovery from hernia surgery depends on the type of hernia and the repairing technique used, says Matthew Couch, MD, in general surgery at St. Petersburg General Hospital. Learn more in this video.

Recovery time after hernia surgery depends on what kind of procedure you had done, says Sharla Sundberg, MD, from Blake Medical Center. Watch this video to find out how long you can expect to be out for each type.

If I do an open hernia repair on someone, I’ll usually tell them they can get back to full, normal activities by about four to six weeks. If I do it laparoscopically, I give a recovery time of two to four weeks before you should be completely back to your normal activities.

How long it takes you to recover from hernia surgery may depend on the type of surgery you had and whether you experience any complications from the surgery. 

A hernia is a weakness, tear or hole that occurs in a piece of body tissue, most often the abdominal wall, through which another body part (such as the bowel) may protrude and cause a bulge. In hernia surgery, your doctor can push the wayward piece of tissue back into place and seal up the hole or tear using stitches and/or a patch of surgical mesh.

If you have laparoscopic hernia surgery (a procedure in which a doctor inserts surgical instruments through a scope in a tiny incision in the belly button area), typically it may take two to three weeks before you feel completely better.
If your surgeon repairs your hernia by inserting surgical instruments through a full incision in your abdomen, your recovery may take longer, possibly six weeks or more. Complications, including an infection or a recurrence of the hernia, may also occur after surgery, prolonging your recovery time.

Hernia surgery recovery has gotten faster over the years, says Keith Chisholm, MD, from Medical Center of Trinity. Learn about the procedure's history, and what recovery time is now, in this short video.

Traditional hernia surgery recovery is one week with pain medications and four to six weeks of no heavy lifting. In this video Marc Zare, MD, a bariatric surgeon at Good Samaritan Hospital, discusses a less invasive surgery.