If you’ve had hernia surgery in the last few days or weeks, you’re certainly looking forward to a quick and successful recovery. That’s why it can be concerning if you find out you have a fever soon after you’ve had hernia surgery.

Since we were kids, we’ve often been taught that a fever can quickly go from something you don’t worry about to a “call the doctor” emergency. In fact, it is important to control fever, especially after surgery.

Anatomy of a hernia

A hernia is a protrusion of the gut (or intestine) from inside the body through the abdominal wall. The abdominal wall is made almost entirely of muscle. For some people, the abdominal wall may develop weakness in one or more places over time. If the weakness becomes pronounced enough, it can allow the intestine to protrude through the wall and become a hernia.

A hernia is usually seen with the naked eye as a bulge on the outside of the body. In fact, it is this visible quality of hernias that makes them easy to diagnose.

How hernia surgery works

Hernia surgery involves patching the weakness in the abdominal wall. The surgery begins when the doctor opens a small incision in the skin. The doctor then pushes the protruding parts (the intestine) back into the body cavity. Finally, a mesh patch is applied over the opening to strengthen it and prevent recurrence of the hernia.

Chances of infection

The quality and cleanliness of most medical facilities in developed countries mean that your hernia surgery was probably performed in a sterile environment by a competent physician. However, every time you have surgery, you expose yourself to the possibility of infection. Any open wound is necessarily exposed to bacteria and viruses that exist outside the body in the environment.

If you’ve had hernia surgery and are wondering, “Is it normal to have a fever after hernia surgery?” it’s important to know what to look for and when to worry.

When is a fever normal?

After hernia surgery, you may not be discharged from the hospital if you have a fever. But, it is not uncommon for a mild fever to develop in the days or even a week after hernia surgery. As long as the fever comes on and then goes away in a couple of days without getting too high, you’ll be fine.

When to call your doctor

However, if your fever exceeds 101 degrees for more than a few hours, you should call your doctor. In that case, it is very possible that you have an infection.

Other reasons to visit your doctor after hernia surgery include: unexplained leg pain (due to the possibility of blood clots), pus and drainage from the incision, very dark stools (which may indicate blood in the stool) , shortness of breath and inability to eat.

What to expect if you have to visit your doctor

If you decide to visit the doctor because of a fever of 101 or higher, it’s important that you don’t let this worry you. Your doctor will likely inspect your wound to make sure it appears to be healing properly. He or she will probably prescribe some antibiotics to treat a possible infection. However, if your fever is extremely high, you may be asked to return to the hospital for a day or so to be properly observed until it goes away.