INGUINAL HERNIA – Southwest Surgical Associates

What is an inguinal hernia?

An inguinal hernia occurs when your intestine or other tissues push through a weakened area of your abdominal wall in the inguinal canal.

In women, this canal houses a ligament that keeps the uterus in place. In men, the inguinal canal holds the spermatic cord that carries sperm out of the testicles.

Weakness in the wall of muscles can develop as you get older. You might also be more likely to have an inguinal hernia because of increased pressure on your abdominal wall due to:

Pregnancy
Heavy lifting
Strenuous exercise
Chronic coughing
Straining during bowel movements

If you have abdominal surgery to address underlying health issues, your risk for developing an inguinal hernia increases.

When should I seek medical attention for an inguinal hernia?

You should seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of an inguinal hernia. The most common symptom of a hernia is a noticeable bulge on either side of your pubic bone that worsens with activity. Other symptoms of an inguinal hernia include:

Groin pain
Burning Sensations
Testicle Swelling Pain
Difficulties bending over or lifting objects

Seek emergency medical attention if you have sudden, intense groin pain, a fever, or discoloration of the skin near the hernia. These symptoms can be a warning sign of a strangulated hernia, which means blood flow to the tissue is cut off. A strangulated hernia can be a life-threatening condition if left untreated.

How is an inguinal hernia treated?

The standard treatment for an inguinal hernia is surgery. Southwest Surgical Associates offers laparoscopic hernia repair surgeries on an outpatient basis.

During hernia repair surgery, your surgeon makes a small incision in your groin and inserts a slender scope with an attached camera. The camera sends real-time images of the surgical site to an external monitor, so the surgeons get a close-up view of your abdominal wall.

To repair the weak spot in your abdominal muscles, your surgeon places a surgical mesh over the tissue to reinforce the wall’s strength. Surgical staples hold the mesh in place to prevent tissues or organs from pushing through again.

Because laparoscopic hernia repair requires only small incisions, you can expect to heal quickly and with less pain and bleeding. If you’re not a candidate for laparoscopic surgery, the surgeons can use open surgical techniques requiring longer, deeper incisions and a longer recovery.

Schedule a surgical evaluation for an inguinal hernia online or call the Southwest Surgical Associates office near you today.

Inguinal Surgery

An estimated 27% of men and 3% of women in the United States will develop an inguinal hernia in their lifetime. If you have a painful bulge in your groin, the experienced surgeons at Southwest Surgical Associates can repair it using minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques.

Surgery repairs weaknesses in your abdominal wall with a sturdy mesh so you can find long-lasting relief from pain and other hernia symptoms. Call the office in Sugar Land, Cypress, Pearland, Houston, or Katy, Texas, to schedule an inguinal hernia evaluation or book an appointment online today.