Back to Health A to Z. A hernia happens when an internal part of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall. Your muscles are usually strong and tight enough to keep your intestines and organs in place, but a hernia can develop if there are any weak spots.
An inguinal pronounced "ingwinal" hernia is the most common type of hernia. It can appear as a swelling or lump in your groin, or as an enlarged scrotum the pouch containing the testicles. The swelling may be painful. The lump often appears when you're lifting something and disappears when you lie down. For information on other types of hernia , see:. An inguinal hernia usually happens when fatty tissue or a part of your bowel, such as the intestine, pokes through into your groin at the top of your inner thigh.
It pushes through a weak spot in the surrounding muscle wall the abdominal wall into an area called the inguinal canal. Inguinal hernias mainly affect men. Most are thought to be caused by ageing, although they can happen at any age. This is because as you get older, the muscles surrounding your abdomen tummy can become weaker. There are a few different types of hernias that can occur in the area of the groin.
For more information on inguinal and femoral hernias, and the symptoms and treatment methods associated with these hernias, please see below. Inguinal hernias, also known as groin hernias, occur when a bit of tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the muscles between the upper thigh and the lower abdomen.
Inguinal hernias are usually caused by an opening in the muscle wall that should have closed before birth but instead remained open. Because of that abnormality, there is a weak spot in the abdomen.
When tissue pushes through that weak spot, it creates a bulge, or lump, that tends to be painful, though not necessarily dangerous. The primary symptom of an inguinal hernia is a lump or bulge in the area of the groin. That bulge may appear all of a sudden, after you have been coughing, laughing, lifting heavy weights, or otherwise straining, or it may develop over a longer period of weeks or even months.
You may experience pain or general discomfort in the area of the groin, particularly when straining. Inguinal hernias can cauase significant discomfort, and may also be associated with an aching or burning feeling in the area of the bulge.
You may also experience a sensation of dragging, pressure, or weakness in the groin. Some male patients may experience swelling and pain around the testicles, if the protruding tissue descends into the scrotum. Many people develop inguinal hernias later in life, when their muscles have weakened with age, or when they are more vulnerable following abdominal surgery or an injury.
In men, that abdominal weak spot usually develops in the inguinal canal, which is where the spermatic cord enters the scrotum. Women, on the other hand, have a ligament in their inguinal canals that helps to hold the uterus in place. Hernias can develop in the place where connective tissue from the uterus is joined to the tissue surrounding the pubic bone.
Certain populations seem to be at greater risk of developing inguinal hernias than others. Risk factors include the following:. Femoral hernias occur when a bit of tissue bulges through the lower belly and into the upper thigh, in the area just below the groin crease.
Femoral hernias are sometimes mistaken for inguinal hernias because they occur in a nearby location. Femoral hernias are relatively uncommon. Femoral hernias may not present any symptoms at all, especially if they are of a small or medium size. Larger hernias may become visible as a lump or bulge in the area of your upper thigh. That bulge may cause discomfort or pain when you try to stand up, lift a heavy object, or strain in another way.
Because femoral hernias are in many cases located in close proximity to the hip bone, they may cause pain in the hip. As with inguinal hernias, the cause of a femoral hernia is not always clear. While the area of the femoral canal may have weakened over time, you may also have simply been born with a weakened femoral canal. It does seem clear that straining can cause the muscle walls to weaken, thereby increasing the chances of developing a femoral hernia.
Researchers are studying other factors that might play a role in causing inguinal hernias. These factors include. To diagnose an inguinal hernia, your doctor will ask about your medical history and symptoms and perform a physical exam. In some cases, doctors also order imaging tests. During a physical exam, the doctor will examine your abdomen. The doctor may ask you to stand, cough, or strain while he or she checks for a bulge caused by the hernia.
The doctor may try to gently massage the contents of the hernia back into the abdomen. If the diagnosis is not clear after a physical exam, your doctor may order imaging tests to check for an inguinal hernia. Doctors may also use imaging tests to check for complications. Most people with inguinal hernias will need surgery to repair the hernia. Several different types of open and laparoscopic hernia surgery are available.
The type of surgery your doctor recommends may depend on factors such as the size of the hernia and your age, health, and medical history. In open hernia surgery, a surgeon makes a cut in your groin to view and repair the hernia. After repairing the hernia, surgeons typically use stitches and a piece of mesh to close the abdominal wall.
The mesh strengthens the weak area where the hernia occurred. In some cases, surgeons may use stitches alone to close and strengthen the weak area in the abdominal wall. Patients most often receive local anesthesia and a sedative for open hernia surgery. In some cases, doctors may give patients general anesthesia or a spinal block to make the body numb from the waist down. In laparoscopic hernia surgery, a surgeon makes several small cuts in your lower abdomen and inserts special tools to view and repair the hernia.
The surgeon uses a piece of mesh to close and strengthen the abdominal wall. Patients most often receive general anesthesia for laparoscopic hernia surgery. Recovery time after laparoscopic surgery may be shorter than after open hernia surgery.
Research suggests that men with inguinal hernias that cause few or no symptoms may be able to safely delay surgery, an approach called watchful waiting. About 70 percent of men who delay surgery will develop new or worsening symptoms and will need surgery within 5 years.
If an inguinal hernia causes complications , such as becoming stuck or strangulated, you will need emergency surgery to repair the hernia and treat the complications. You may have some pain or discomfort after hernia surgery. The pain is typically mild and goes away within 2 weeks after surgery. Talk with your doctor about when you can safely return to your usual activities after hernia surgery. Many people can go back to work and resume daily activities within 3 to 5 days after hernia surgery.
Surgery to repair an inguinal hernia is quite safe. However, possible complications of hernia surgery include. Talk with your doctor about the risks of hernia surgery and symptoms you should watch for after surgery. For example, you should call your doctor right away if you have.
The NIDDK conducts and supports clinical trials in many diseases and conditions, including digestive diseases.
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