Inguinal

What is a hernia ?

A hernia is the protrusion of an organ (or part of an organ) through its containing wall.

Before a hernia can form, there must be a weakness in the containing wall (commonly the abdominal muscles). This weakness may be congenital (you are born with it) or it may be acquired later in life (due to on-going pressure such as from coughing, constipation, heavy lifting etc.).

A bulge is noticeable at the hernia site. It may contain some fat from inside the abdomen or a loop of bowel:

The bulge gets bigger if you stand or strain. It may cause no symptoms or it may cause a dragging sensation, ache or pain. If the hernia becomes painful, tender to the touch and cannot be pushed back in then it is at risk of strangulating:

This requires an emergency operation.