Hernia
What is a Hernia and an inguinal hernia?
A hernia occurs when an internal part of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall.
The most common type of hernia is an inguinal hernia which is 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.
Inguinal hernias can sometimes appear suddenly after putting pressure on the abdomen, such as straining on the toilet if you have constipation or carrying and pushing heavy loads.
They have also been linked to having a persistent, heavy cough.
More information about hernias is available on the NHS website.
Treatments for Hernias
There are 2 ways an inguinal hernia repair can be performed:
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open surgery – where a cut is made to allow the surgeon to push the lump back into the abdomen
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laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery – a less invasive, but more difficult, technique where several smaller cuts are made, allowing the surgeon to use instruments to repair the hernia