Because of a sudden strain, the muscle may separate at a weak point. Then an organ, most often the bowel but sometimes the bladder or an ovary, can squeeze through the gap in the muscles, creating a bulge. A complication of a groin hernia is that after the bowel has pushed through the muscle wall, its contents may become trapped. A further, more dangerous complication is that the blood supply to the bowel may be cut off or strangulated and the tissue may die, resulting in gangrene. This is a medical emergency.
Surgery is often necessary to correct the hernia.
Some people, especially men, are born with a weakness in their groin muscles. To diagnose a groin hernia, your health care provider will take your medical history, review your symptoms, and examine you. If the hernia bulge can be pushed back in and causes you few symptoms, you may not need surgery. Otherwise, treatment for a groin hernia is elective surgery. Your health care provider will usually suggest that you have the operation as soon as possible to avoid complications.