How do you check for a hernia?
Your doctor will check for a bulge in the groin area. Because standing and coughing can make a hernia more prominent, you’ll likely be asked to stand and cough or strain. If the diagnosis isn’t readily apparent, your doctor might order an imaging test, such as an abdominal ultrasound, CT scan or MRI.
How is femoral hernia diagnosed?
Ultrasound of the abdominal and groin area can confirm the diagnosis or establish a diagnosis if suspicion of a femoral hernia is high but no bulge is evident on physical examination. Imaging technology can show the defect in the muscle wall, as well as the protruding tissue.
Can you have a hernia without a lump?
If a person has symptoms of a hernia (dull ache in the groin or other body area or pain with lifting or straining but without an obvious lump), the doctor may feel the area while increasing abdominal pressure (having you stand or cough). This action may make the hernia able to be felt.
Can a hernia repair itself?
Repairing the hernia can also relieve the symptoms of pain and discomfort and make the bulge go away. The hernia won’t heal on its own. If your hernia does not bother you, most likely you can wait to have surgery. Your hernia may get worse, but it may not.
What can be mistaken for femoral hernia?
Lipoma of the fossa femoralis is a poorly recognized entity that may mimic a femoral hernia.
What is a false hernia?
A hernia in which the presenting content cannot be returned to its site of origin, e.g., a hernia in which a segment of intestine cannot be returned to the abdominal cavity. It may produce pain or intestinal obstruction. If left untreated, an incarcerated hernia may cause strangulation of the bowel.
What can mimic a hernia?
Hernias can go misdiagnosed in women, and can instead be thought to be ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, or other abdominal issues, according to the SLS. Women’s hernias can be small and internal. They might not be a bulge that can be felt in an exam or be visible outside the body, according to the SLS.