HealthlineSubscribeWhatIsaStrangulatedHernia?MedicallyreviewedbyAlanaBiggers,M.D.,MPH—WrittenbyJamieLudwig—UpdatedonJuly27,2017SymptomsHerniatypesCausesSeekhelpTreatmentRecoveryComplicationsOutlookOverviewAstrangulatedherniaisalife-threateningmedicalcondition.Fattytissueorasectionofthesmallintestinespushesthroughaweakenedareaoftheabdominalmuscle.Thesurroundingmusclethenclampsdownaroundthetissue,cuttingoffthebloodsupplytothesmallintestine.Thisstrangulationofthesmallintestinecanleadtointestinalperforation,shock,organgrene(death)oftheprotrudingtissue,whichcanleadtodeath.Readontolearnmoreaboutthisseriouscondition.Whatarethesymptomsofastrangulatedhernia?Unlikeothertypesofhernias,astrangulatedherniacausesanumberofseveresymptoms.Manypeoplehavevisiblebulgesintheirabdomenorgroin,whichisaclearindicationthataherniaispresent.Othersymptomsmayinclude:acutepainthatcomesonsuddenlyandmaygetmoreseverebloodystoolsconstipationdarkeningorreddeningoftheskinovertheherniafatiguefeverinabilitytopassgasinflammationortendernessaroundtheherniaincreasedheartratenauseavomitingStrangulatedherniavs.incarceratedherniaAnincarceratedherniaoccurswhenherniatedtissuebecomestrappedandcannoteasilybemovedbackintoplace.Anincarceratedherniacanleadtoabowelobstructionorstrangulation.Inotherwords,astrangulatedherniacannotcauseanincarceratedhernia.However,youcandevelopastrangulatedherniafromanincarceratedone.Likestrangulatedhernias,incarceratedherniasmustbetreatedbymedicalprofessionals.Incarceratedherniasarenotlife-threatening,however.Whatcausesstrangulatedhernias?Strangulatedherniasmaybepresentatbirth,buttheycanoccuratanystageinlife.Theycanoccurifmuscletissueintheabdomenweakens,leadingtopotentialareaswherefoldsoftissuecanslipthroughthemuscletissue.Aswithothertypesofhernias,riskfactorsforstrangulatedherniainclude:pregnancystrenuousactivityhistoryofabdominalsurgery,includingcesareandelivery,whichcanweakentheabdominalwallstrainingduringbowelmovementschroniccoughingWhentoseeadoctorAstrangulatedherniaisamedicalemerg