Inguinal hernias are protrusions of soft tissue, such as a portion of the intestine, through a weak spot in a muscle, usually in the abdominal wall. Inguinal hernias occur where the abdomen meets the thigh in the groin region. Any weakness in the abdominal wall, whether due to injury, strain, aging or a congenital defect can promote the formation of one of two types of inguinal hernia. In the direct hernia, the more common of the two, the abdominal organs push through a weak spot in the abdominal wall to create a visible bulge in the groin area. In an indirect hernia, which only occurs in men, the tissue protrudes farther down through the the inguinal canal, entering the scrotum.
Hernias produce different symptoms or feelings.
Sometimes you'll notice a protrusion in your groin area between the pubis and the top of the leg or feel pain when you strain during urination or a bowel movement or when you lift a heavy object. The pain can be sharp and immediate. And, while persons certainly can live for years with hernias, without treatment they will not disappear. If the hernia can be pushed back into the abdominal cavity, it is referred to as a reducible hernia, which while not an immediate health threat, will require surgery to disappear. If it cannot be pushed back, it is nonreducible.