An inguinal hernia is a bulge that occurs in your groin region, the area between the lower part of your abdomen and your thigh. Inguinal hernias occur because of a weakening of the muscles in the lower abdomen. Three layers protect the intestines inside the lower abdomen.
An inguinal hernia isn't necessarily dangerous. It doesn't improve on its own, however, and can lead to life-threatening complications. Your doctor is likely to recommend surgery to fix an inguinal hernia that's painful or enlarging. Inguinal hernia repair is a common surgical procedure.
Incarceration or strangulation of inguinal hernias is rare, but serious complications can develop if a hernia is left untreated. Incarcerated hernia: Incarceration occurs when part of the fat or intestine from inside the abdomen gets stuck in the groin or scrotum and cannot go back into the abdomen.
An inguinal hernia will not heal by itself and does require surgery to be repaired. Initially, the hernia may only be a small lump in the groin but can grow much larger over time. It may also appear to grow and shrink with different activities.
The hernia will look like a bulge or bump in the scrotum or groin region. Standing or bearing down with force will often make the bulge more noticeable. The bulge typically takes time to appear, but it can form suddenly after coughing, lifting heavy weights, straining, bending, or laughing.