Inguinal Hernia Treatment

A mass near your groin, strange sensations, and pain when you cough or lift things are all signs of an inguinal hernia. Even if the hernia is small, it’s important to get treatment before it gets bigger or more painful.

The hernia specialists at UVA Health can tell you what kind of groin hernia you have and what treatment options are available.

What Is an Inguinal Hernia?

An inguinal hernia happens when something in your abdomen pushes through a hole or weak spot in your muscles, into your inguinal canal. The inguinal canal is a passageway in the lower belly, near the groin. It’s located where your abdomen meets the top of your leg, on the right and left sides.

A noticeable bulge near your groin is the most common inguinal hernia symptom.

Other symptoms include:

• Groin pain or discomfort
• Groin pain that gets worse when you cough, lift, or strain
• A groin mass that gets bigger when you cough, lift, or strain

Treating an Inguinal Hernia

If you think you have a groin hernia, see your doctor. They’ll do a physical exam and might order a CT, MRI, or ultrasound to diagnose your condition. If they think you have a hernia, they’ll refer you to a hernia surgeon who can talk to you about next steps.

Surgery for Inguinal Hernias

Most of the time, you will need surgery to fix an inguinal hernia. During hernia repair surgery, your surgeon makes a small cut near the hernia to push the bulge back inside. Then, they close the weak spot with stitches or mesh.

There are different kinds of hernia repair surgeries:

• Open hernia repair surgery. Your doctor makes a cut near the hernia and fixes it directly.
• Laparoscopic hernia repair surgery. Your doctor makes a tiny cut near the hernia and uses special small tools to fix it.
• Robotic hernia repair surgery. This is similar to laparoscopic surgery, but the doctor uses a robot to guide the tools. This allows for more precise movements during surgery.

An experienced hernia surgeon can help you choose the best and safest procedure for your repair.

Emergency Surgery for Inguinal Hernias

In some cases, an inguinal hernia becomes an emergency. If part of your abdomen gets stuck in the hernia and can’t go back inside, it becomes a strangulated hernia. This is dangerous and you need surgery right away.

Signs of a strangulated inguinal hernia are:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Intense abdominal or groin pain that keeps getting worse
• The groin mass turns red or purple

If you think you have a strangulated hernia, get emergency care right away.

Why Did I Get an Inguinal Hernia?

Inguinal hernias happen when there is a weak spot inside your abdominal wall. Some risk factors for inguinal hernias are:

• Being male
• Being over 50
• Being overweight
• Being pregnant
• Coughing a lot
• Lifting heavy objects
• Premature birth

Advanced Inguinal Hernia Care in Virginia

At UVA Health, we can identify and treat your inguinal hernia close to home. Our experienced surgeons can repair your groin hernia and support you through diagnosis, surgery, and recovery.

Learn more about the hernia care we offer in Charlottesville, Culpeper, and Northern Virginia.