Hernia – a bulge under the skin of the groin or abdomen caused by bowel coming through an opening in the body wall – is all too common.
A hernia can occur at any age, be present at birth, and be seen in women, but the most common type of hernia is located in the male groin.
In the case of this “typical” male hernia, there is sudden groin pain when lifting something, and a bulge has formed. It may come and go and may or may not be painful, but the danger is that the soft loop of bowel felt under the skin may get trapped in the opening, rapidly causing a severely painful and potentially life-threatening situation.
Any time a new groin bulge is noted, either with or without pain, it’s important to see a physician. A surgical repair is generally very simple and is usually performed using minimally-invasive (“bandaid”) surgery in an outpatient surgical facility, with excellent results.
