Symptoms

The symptoms of an inguinal hernia may include:

• discomfort or pain in groin:
  • when caused by straining, may be sudden in onset
  • may occur before a lump is noticed
  • frequently described as a 'dragging' sensation
  • may radiate to scrotum
  • often described as being worse in the daytime
  • increases with incarceration and strangulation
    
    
• lump or mass in groin or scrotum:
  • frequently painless
  • if still reducible, appears and disappears in relation to position i.e. reduces on lying
  • may never disappear i.e. has progressed to incarceration; if never disappears and new onset of pain, strangulation must be assumed
    
    
• abdominal pain: if colicky in nature, may be an indication of intestinal obstruction due to strangulation
• vomiting }
• abdominal distention } may indicate intestinal
• absolute constipation } obstruction