Some hernias are quite bothersome or painful. Others cause no symptoms. A hernia may cause tenderness and pressure or discomfort when you bend over, cough or strain. You may notice a lump or bulge at the site of the hernia that moves inward when you push on it.

Symptoms of inguinal hernias differ. The onset is sometimes gradual, having no other symptoms other than the development of a bulge. Other times, the hernia will occur suddenly with a feeling that something has "given way," coupled by pain or discomfort. Signs and symptoms of inguinal hernias include visible bulges in the scrotum, groin, or abdominal wall; a feeling of weakness or pressure in the groin; a burning feeling at the bulge; and lastly, a gurgling feeling.

A hernia, an abnormal bulging of the internal organs, can develop in many areas of the body, but it often develops in the intestine.

It was bound to happen to me eventually - inguinal hernias are often congenital. My dad had an inguinal hernia on both sides, and he never lifted anything heavier than a beer. Heavy weight training may have caused it to happen a little sooner, but it would have happened eventually even if I had continued to live a sedentary lifestyle. Being in good shape allowed for a very quick recovery - my surgeon was impressed! Back to index People who work out and lift weights are compensating.

A ventral hernia usually occurs in the abdominal wall because of a weakening due to a previous surgical incision. The result is a bulge or tear in the abdominal wall that allows a balloon-like sac to form in the weakened area.

All the names of the different hernias really relate only to where they are on the body, a rough guide to which is shown here. Spigelian hernia is much less common than others, but is - nevertheless - still a hernia in the abdominal wall, slightly to the side of the upper abdomen. It is, like the others, an opening of a 'window' in the wall tissue which needs to be closed by surgery.

incisional hernia result from a hole or defect in the layers of abdominal wall at the site of a previous surgical incision. The incidence of incisional hernia is less common after laparoscopic surgery but it is a fairly common complication after laparotomy.

quot;A hiatal hernia certainly has a bearing on the situation, and can be in some patients the primary cause of their reflux, though repairing the hiatal hernia, alone, would not be sufficient to stop the reflux. The hiatal hernia repair is usually done laparoscopically, at the time of surgery for acid reflux syndrome."

If you have stress incontinence, you may leak a small to medium amount of urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise, or do similar things. If you have urge incontinence, you may feel a sudden urge to urinate and the need to urinate often. With this type of bladder control problem, you may leak a larger amount of urine that can soak your clothes or run down your legs.