Denise Richards recovering from emergency hernia surgery

Actress-turned-reality TV star Denise Richards has urged fans to "listen" to their bodies after having to undergo emergency surgery to repair four hernias.

"My hubby posted this & I need to actually thank him for taking such great care of me," the 48-year-old explained in a post on Instagram, along with a snapshot of her smiling that was first shared by her husband, Aaron Phypers.

"This was a couple months ago & turned out to be a good lesson for me to always listen to my body," the mother of three added. "Being a mom, wife, & having a career sometimes it's easier to just be strong and power through, I thought the pain & my other symptoms would just go away."

Richards continued, while explaining that the pain didn't go away and in fact instead "got a lot worse."

"I'm so grateful to @herniadoc & her fabulous team," the Starship Troopers star wrote. "I thought I had one femoral hernia, I actually had 2 femoral & 2 inguinal. And I waited way too long & didn't even tell my husband how bad I was feeling (I know it was stupid) ... gotta always listen to our bodies & take care of ourselves."

Inguinal hernias create an opening in the abdomen, through which a portion of the intestine can push through. Femoral hernias are similar but located closer to the groin.

Phypers and Richards married in September 2018 after dating for one year. Prior to this, Phypers was married to "Desperate Housewives" actress Nicollette Sheridan, while Richards was married to Charlie Sheen from 2002 to 2006. They share two children and Richards adopted her third in 2011.