Hernia

A hernia is an abnormal protrusion of an object through the wall of a cavity, the wall of which has weakened to the point that it no longer can contain the object inside the cavity. In simple speak, “something pokes out from within”.

In the case of abdominal hernias, the “cavity” is the abdominal cavity, the “wall” is the muscular wall of the abdomen or pelvis (the pelvic floor) and the “something” poking out is usually a bit of intestine, a piece of fatty tissue or the stomach. Just about any structure that lies freely in the abdomen or pelvis can herniate out of the cavity. Hernias are sometimes colloquially referred to as “ruptures” or “breaches”.

Two types of hernias occur in the groin area: inguinal hernias and femoral hernias.

The inguinal hernia occurs in a region situated between the top of your hips and the bony pubic area. The weakness is due to a partial lack of muscle (no meaty muscle here) and partially because the abdominal wall must make way here for the foetal gonads to develop in the embryonic stage. It is an area of “natural” relative weakness. Patients typically note some discomfort in the area during or after physical activity or when coughing/sneezing. A soft “squidgy” lump is often seen or felt just beneath the skin, especially when standing upright. The lump often seems to disappear when lying down. Over time, the lump usually expands until eventually, in men, it may extend right down into the scrotum causing it too to distend. Pain may radiate down into the scrotum or cause some numbness or tingling in the overlying skin.

Femoral hernias occur in the groin area too, in a region situated at the very top of the thigh in the groove between abdomen and limb, close to the pubic area. The weakness lies in the lowest portion of the abdominal wall where the latter must make way for some major blood vessels to travel down into the lower limb. Patients experience symptoms and lumps just as they do for inguinal hernias. Occasionally, pain may radiate into the inner thigh.