Rectus diastasis and ventral hernia are two conditions that occur in the abdominal region. They may share some similarities, such as pain or discomfort in the abdominal region. However, they are actually quite different in terms of their causes, symptoms, and treatment options.
The key difference between rectus diastasis and ventral hernia is their cause. Rectus diastasis occurs when the rectus abdominis muscles separate during pregnancy because of stretching while ventral hernia occurs due to any protrusion of intestine or other tissue through a gap in the abdominal wall.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Rectus Diastasis
3. What is Ventral Hernia
4. Similarities – Rectus Diastasis and Ventral Hernia
5. Rectus Diastasis vs Ventral Hernia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Rectus Diastasis vs Ventral Hernia
7. FAQ: Rectus Diastasis and Ventral Hernia
What is Rectus Diastasis?
Rectus diastasis is a condition due to the widening between the left and right rectus muscle with a protrusion of visceral fat. It is a common condition in pregnant and postpartum people. The common signs and symptoms include visible bulge, softness around the belly button, difficulty lifting objects, pain during sex, pelvic pain, lower back pain, poor posture, leaking urine when sneezing or coughing, constipation, and feeling weak in the abdominals. Moreover, rectus diastasis is caused by the excessive inner-abdominal pressure.
Figure 01: Rectus Diastasis
Rectus diastasis can be diagnosed through physical examination and ultrasound. Furthermore, treatment options for rectus diastasis include performing gentle movements that engage the abdominal muscles, physical therapy, recti surgery, and binding devices (elastic belly bands) to help hold the belly.
What is Ventral Hernia?
A ventral hernia is an abdominal hernia due to any protrusion of the intestine or other tissue through a weakness in the abdominal wall. Umbilical and incisional hernias are two specific types of ventral hernias. The causes of ventral hernia include chronic coughing, severe or chronic vomiting, diabetes and other diseases, heavy lifting, injury or obesity, pregnancy, and prior surgery. The signs and symptoms of ventral hernia may include a bulge under the skin that flattens when lying down, a bulge that can also be reduced by pushing against it, pain when touching the bulge, straining to pass motions or urinating, and discomfort when lifting a heavy object or sitting and standing for a long time.
Figure 02: Ventral Hernia
To identify a ventral hernia, a healthcare provider may use different diagnostic techniques such as medical history, physical examination, blood test, CT scan, MRI, and ultrasound. Furthermore, treatment of ventral hernia will generally consist of one of three types of surgeries: open hernia repair, laparoscopy, and robotic-assisted repair.
Similarities Between Rectus Diastasis and Ventral Hernia
- Rectus diastasis and ventral hernia are two conditions that occur in the abdominal region.
- Rectus diastasis, if not managed properly, can lead to ventral hernia.
- Both may share similar symptoms, such as pain or discomfort in the abdominal region, bowel sticking out, etc.
- Both are more common in women.
- They can be treated through surgeries.
Difference Between Rectus Diastasis and Ventral Hernia
Definition
- Rectus diastasis refers to the sticking out of the belly because the space between the left and right abdominal muscles has widened.
- Ventra hernia refers to the bulging of tissues through an opening of weakness within the abdominal wall muscles.
Cause
- Rectus diastasis can be caused by excessive inner-abdominal pressure.
- Ventra hernia can be caused by congenital weak spot, connective tissue diseases, aging and natural degeneration, chronic obesity, abdominal injury, abdominal surgery, pregnancy and childbirth, chronic breathing difficulties, chronic constipation, and occupations involving frequent lifting and pushing.
Symptoms
- Symptoms of rectus diastasis include visible bulge, softness around the belly button, difficulty lifting objects, pain during sex, pelvic pain, lower back pain, poor posture, leaking urine when sneezing or coughing, constipation, and feeling weak in the abdominals.
- Symptoms of ventra hernia include bulge under the skin that flattens when lying down, a bulge that can also be reduced by pushing against it, pain when touching the bulge, straining to pass motions or urinating, and discomfort when lifting a heavy object or sitting and standing for a long time.
Diagnosis
- Rectus diastasis can be diagnosed by physical examination and ultrasound.
- Ventra hernia can be diagnosed by medical history, physical examination, abdominal CT, MRI scans, and ultrasound.
Treatment
- Rectus diastasis can be treated by avoiding any heavy lifting or further straining of the abdominal muscles, practicing good posture, supporting the lower back when sitting with a towel or pillow placed behind, pregnancy-safe exercises for diastasis recti, physical therapy, retci surgery, and binding devices to help hold their belly.
- Ventra hernia can be treated by mesh placement surgery, laparoscopic repair, and open surgery (nonlaparoscopic).
The following table summarizes the difference between rectus diastasis and ventral hernia.
Summary – Rectus Diastasis vs Ventral Hernia
Rectus diastasis and ventral hernia are two conditions that occur in the abdominal region. Rectus diastasis is the greater separation between the two sides of the rectus abdominis muscle, while ventral hernia is the bulging of tissues through an opening of weakness within the abdominal wall muscles. This is the summary of the difference between rectus diastasis and ventral hernia.
FAQ: Rectus Diastasis and Ventral Hernia
1. What is the main cause of rectus diastasis?
- Rectus diastasis happens when pregnancy stretches the abdominal muscles, causing them to split apart. This can be caused by the excessive inner-abdominal pressure in pregnant women.
2. How do you fix diastasis recti?
- Healthcare providers will recommend physical therapy or at-home exercises to help heal diastasis in pregnant women before surgical methods. Recti surgery is performed in case of hernia.
3. What causes ventral hernias?
- Ventral hernias can appear as a congenital birth defect or develop over a period of time, as a result of factors like abdominal surgery, pregnancy, or long-term stress on the abdominal muscles.
4. What are the symptoms of ventral hernia?
- People with a ventral hernia might experience sharp pain, which can intensify with activities like heavy lifting or straining during bowel movements. Additional symptoms may include nausea and vomiting.
5. Should people repair a ventral hernia?
- Ventral hernia can be dangerous, as internal organs and tissues may bulge out during this condition. Ventral hernias are surgically repaired to avoid the risk of the intestine becoming strangulated. The surgeries for a ventral hernia include open hernia repair, laparoscopy, and robotic-assisted repair.
Reference:
1. “What to Know about a Ventral Hernia.” WebMD.
2. “Diastasis Recti (Abdominal Separation): Symptoms & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Ultrasonography of diastasis recti – Annotated” By Mikael Häggström – Own work (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Hernia spiegheli 01” By AfroBrazilian – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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