About the Support Company


Every year 100,000 Britons and more than 500,000 Americans discover they have an inguinal (groin) hernia. Hernias are a problem that, for all the wrong reasons, are frequently not discussed and have caused a lot of men unnecessary suffering. If you've discovered you have a hernia, welcome to this site, where we hope to share with you our understanding of the most recent and comprehensive medical opinions and treatment options.

To operate or not to operate?

In their March 2006 issue, one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world, the Journal of the American Medical Association, published an article on Watchful Waiting as the treatment option of choice for inguinal hernias. What the researchers discovered was that if surgery is avoided, over the next five years there are fewer complications and less pain. This is because of the very real risk of post-operative complications. There is a new and growing medical consensus that an inguinal hernia should not be operated on until it presents real pain and is bulging badly.

The Support Company

The Support Company and its sister website Herniable came about through researches carried out by hernia sufferer Craig Sams who decided to opt for Watchful Waiting rather than surgery. Over the course of fifteen years, Craig tried out hundreds of different hernia trusses and found that either they didn't reliably keep his inguinal hernia inside his abdominal wall, or they were too harsh, with metal springs and rounded pads that dug into the hernia aperture. Given time, a hernia can sometimes repair itself, but in order to knit together, the ruptured edges of the abdominal wall must be in contact with each other. A rounded pad will dig in and prevent this contact. It can also encourage the hernia to enlarge.
After much research, Craig found a patented design known as the Flat Pad Support for inguinal hernia, designed by Trevor Walker. The flat pads supported Craig's hernia without digging into it, and the pads never slipped off the hernia. After a few months, Craig's hernia was noticeably smaller. He was so impressed that he bought the company.

Before making your treatment choices...

We invite you first to read the medical research articles. More and more doctors are now advising against immediate surgery, and it is always worth getting a second opinion.

Important

Always consult a doctor if you have severe or persistent symptoms. Whatever your treatment choices, if you have a hernia or persistent groin pain you should always remain under your doctor's supervision.
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Ceres Bakery Ltd trading as The Support Company
Company Number 4395929
Registered office: 106 High Street, Hastings TN34 3ES, United Kingdom