Your doctor is checking you for a condition called a hernia . There are several types of hernias, and they don't just happen to teen guys - everyone from your baby sister to your grandfather can develop them. If the opening or weakness is large enough, a portion of the organ may be able to poke through the hole. A hernia may be referred to as a rupture. Imagine an inner tube poking through a hole in an old tire - that's what a hernia is like, except the intestines are the inner tube and the tissues of the abdominal wall make up the old tire.
Hernias happen in certain parts of the body more frequently.
Some places in the body that tend to develop hernias include the abdomen, groin and upper thigh area, belly button area, and any place where you may have had an incision from surgery. There's good news for teens - hernias are actually more common in babies and toddlers. The Nemours Foundation is a nonprofit organization devoted to children's health and is the largest physician practice delivering subspecialty pediatric care in the United States. Inc. All rights reserved. TeensHealth and TeensHealth.org are Service Marks of The Nemours Foundation.