Hernia
Introduction
A herniaoccurs whenan internalpart of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall.
A hernia usuallydevelopsbetween your chest and hips. In many cases, it causes no or very few symptoms, although you may notice a swelling or lump in your tummy (abdomen) or groin.
The lump can often be pushed back in or disappears when you lie down. Coughing or straining may make the lump appear.
This topic covers:
When to seek medical advice
Assessing a hernia
Surgery for a hernia
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 6 Jul 2016
Introduction
Read about hernias, which occur when an internal part of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall
Types of hernia
Some of the more common types of hernia are described below. Inguinal hernias Inguinal hernias occur whenfatty tissue or a part of your bowel pokes through intoyour groin at the top of your inner
When to seek medical advice
See your GP if you think you have a hernia. They may refer you to hospital for surgical treatment, if necessary. You should go the accident and emergency (A&E) department of your nearest hospita
Assessing a hernia
Your GP will usually be able to identify a hernia by examining the affected area. In some cases, they may refer you to a nearby hospitalfor an ultrasound scan to confirm the diagnosis or assess the e
Surgery for a hernia
There are two main ways surgery for hernias can be carried out: open surgery where one cut is made to allow the surgeon to push the lump back into the abdomen keyhole (laparoscopic) surgery thi
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