Inguinal hernia

If you develop inguinal hernia, you may experience the following symptoms:

• a visible bulge in the area around your pubic bone
• a burning or aching sensation around the bulge
• pain in this area with sudden movements, such as coughing
• pain, discomfort or feeling of weakness around the groin
• for men, you may feel pain or swelling in your testicles.

Diagnosis for inguinal hernia can be made with a physical examination. Your consultant may also ask you to stand and cough. If this causes you pain, you are showing a major symptom of the condition.

If the diagnosis remains unclear, your consultant may request you to have an X-ray or CT scan. These will provide more in-depth images of your abdominal area, helping to identify a hernia.

There are two main procedures for inguinal hernia repair. They can be carried out under local or general anaesthetic. Treatment options include:

• A laparoscopy. Your surgeon will make several incisions in your abdomen, and insert a laparoscope (small tube with a camera) into one of the incisions. This is to see your organs more clearly. Your surgeon will repair your hernia, tying it back into your abdomen with synthetic mesh
• For an open procedure, your surgeon makes an incision in your groin area. They then push the protruding tissue back into your abdomen, reinforcing it with synthetic mesh. The incision will be glued or stitched together