What Increases Your Risk

Many things can increase your risk for having an inguinal hernia.

Risk factors you can change

• Being overweight or having a recent, large weight loss (such as in crash dieting)
• Having weak abdominal muscles from poor diet, lack of exercise, or both
• Straining during urination or bowel movements
• Chronic coughing, such as from smoking

Risk factors you cannot change

• Being male
• Having muscle weakness from birth, along with a hernia sac
• Having muscle weakness from aging
• Having one or more inguinal hernias

Risk factors for inguinal hernia in children

In children, risk factors for inguinal hernia include:

• Being born early and having low birth weight [less than 1500 g (3.3 lb)].
• Having one or both testicles that do not descend into the scrotum (undescended testicle).
• Having a family history of inguinal hernia.
• Having certain other birth defects or conditions, such as characteristics of each sex in a baby's genitals (ambiguous genitalia), abnormal position of the opening of the urethra on top of (epispadias) or underneath (hypospadias) the penis, or hydrocele, in which fluid builds up around one or both testicles.

When To Call a Doctor

Call a doctor immediately if:

• Your child has an inguinal hernia that cannot be pushed back into the abdomen with gentle pressure.
• You or your child has an inguinal hernia and symptoms of strangulation, such as nausea, vomiting, fever, tenderness, and severe cramping pain in the groin area. These symptoms mean that the intestine has lost blood supply.

Call a doctor if:

• Your infant has a definite lump in the groin area.
• You or your child has a tender bulge in the groin or scrotum, even if the bulge disappears when lying down.
• You or your child has increasing groin discomfort or pain. The discomfort may be increased by bending or lifting and may extend into the scrotum.

Talk with your doctor before wearing a corset or truss for a hernia. These devices are not recommended for treating hernias and sometimes can do more harm than good.

Watchful waiting

Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your doctor observe your symptoms or condition but you do not receive medical treatment. If you are not sure whether you have groin muscle strain or a hernia, watchful waiting with home treatment for 1 to 2 weeks is appropriate. If you have pain that is increasing or severe, an obvious lump, or evidence of bowel blockage or urinary symptoms, call your doctor for an evaluation.

Watchful waiting is not appropriate for infants and children who have inguinal hernias.

You and your doctor can decide whether you should have surgery to fix your hernia or if you can wait. If your hernia does not bother you, you can probably wait to have surgery.

Who to see

The following health professionals can diagnose an inguinal hernia:

• Internist
• Family medicine doctor
• Pediatrician
• Emergency room doctor
• Surgeon
• Nurse practitioner
• Physician assistant

A general surgeon or pediatric surgeon with experience in inguinal hernia repair will be needed to perform hernia repair surgery.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.