text: can hernias cause bowel problems?   hernias are outpouching of the intestinal wall through the muscular layer of the abdomen.  hernias can occur in many areas of the abdomen, and can be harmless or very serious.  when hernias become strangulated (trapped bewteen the muscular wall and blood supply is cut off) then the bowel can lose its blood supply and die... this condition requires immediate surgery.  minor hernias are usually more of a cosmetic thing and do not cause much serious problems (unless they strangulate) but if you ever have to have surgery on your stomach (gall bladder, appendix, etc) then you should have it fixed at the same time.