What is a hernia?
A hernia is the bulge of an organ through an opening in the muscle or tissue that holds it in place.
There are many different types of hernias. The most common hernia is a bulge in the wall of your abdomen (belly), called an abdominal wall hernia. The organ causing the hernia is the small intestine.
What is an inguinal hernia?
An inguinal hernia is a common abdominal wall hernia. It appears in the crease of your groin or, if you''re a man, sometimes in your scrotum (the sac that holds your testicles).
Inguinal hernia is more common in men
You''ll have a bulge in your groin that may or may not hurt
Heavy lifting or straining may make a hernia look bigger but doesn''t cause a hernia
If part of your intestines gets trapped in your groin or scrotum, it can block blood flow to your intestines and make part of the intestine die
Sometimes, doctors treat an inguinal hernia with surgery
