A hernia is an opening or weakness in the muscular structure of the wall of the abdomen. This defect causes a bulging of the abdominal wall. The bulging is usually more noticeable when the abdominal muscles are tightened, thereby increasing pressure in the abdomen.

The two most common types of hernia are the inguinal hernia or "groin hernia" and the umbilical hernia. Other types of hernias include epigastric, incisional, lumbar, internal and spigellian.

Symptoms of a hernia include pain or discomfort and a localized swelling somewhere on the surface of the abdomen or in the groin area. Other symptoms include:

• Pain or discomfort in your groin, especially when bending over, coughing or lifting.
• A heavy or dragging sensation in your groin.
• Occasionally, in men, pain and swelling in the scrotum around the testicles when the protruding intestine descends into the scrotum.

Surgery is the only cure for a hernia. Limiting activity or eliminating excess weight may provide temporary relief, however whether you should have surgery or not can only be determined by your doctor.

In many people, the abdominal wall weakness that leads to a hernia occurs at birth when the abdominal lining doesn’ t close properly. Other hernias develop later in life when muscles weaken or deteriorate due to factors such as aging, strenuous physical activity or coughing that accompanies smoking. Hernias in the groin area are most common in men, and hernias in the femoral area occur most often in women. They commonly result from pregnancy and childbirth.

An untreated hernia will not get better on its own, although it may not get worse for months or even years. A reducible hernia can be easily pushed back or flattened and is generally not an immediate danger to your health, although it can be painful. A non-reducible hernia, however, can become life-threatening if part of the intestine gets trapped or strangulated in the opening.

Most of the factors that lead to a hernia are beyond the control of the individual. The arrangement of the local tissues and their thickness.

The discomfort you feel comes from the constant pressure of tissue pushing its way through the weakened spot in your body. As more tissue pushes through the weakened area, the feeling of pressure increases. A hernia that develops or worsens quickly can produce a sudden intense pain as it enlarges.