What Does It Feel Like to Have a Hernia?

A new lump or bulge in your groin can be surprising and even a little scary. While a hernia isn’t always painful, it usually won’t go away on its own and may need treatment. 

Knowing what a hernia feels like can help you recognize the signs early and know when to get medical care. Let’s take a look at what groin hernias feel like, how to check yourself for one, and when to get care.

What causes a hernia?

A hernia develops when part of an organ or tissue pushes through a weak spot in a muscle or fascia, a type of tissue. Muscle and fascia normally hold organs and tissue in place. 

Hernias can develop:

• Over time from normal wear and tear

• After surgery or an injury

• During or after pregnancy

You can also be born with a hernia if tissue or muscle doesn’t fully develop. 

There are several types of hernias, including:

• Groin hernias 

• Abdominal wall hernias

• Diaphragmatic hernias

• Deep pelvic hernias

• Internal hernias

Because each type happens in a different part of the body, they can cause different symptoms. 

When most people talk about a “hernia,” they’re usually referring to groin hernias like inguinal or femoral hernias. The rest of this article focuses on these common groin hernias. 

What does a hernia feel like?

Many people with a groin hernia don’t notice any symptoms. 

The most common thing people notice is a soft, painless bulge where your lower abdomen meets your upper thigh. The bulge can sometimes extend into the scrotum depending on whether it’s an inguinal or femoral hernia. 

The bulge from an inguinal hernia tends to get bigger when you:

• Stand

• Strain

• Cough

• Lift something heavy

It may get smaller when you lie down. A femoral hernia doesn’t tend to change in size with activity or position. 

Some people may experience other symptoms near the bulge like:

• A dull ache 

• Pressure

• Heaviness

• Burning

• A pulling feeling

These symptoms may get better if you lie down or rest.

How can you check yourself for a hernia?

There aren’t any official recommendations for checking yourself for a hernia the way there are for self breast exams or testicular exams.

But you can try to check yourself for a groin hernia by standing in front of a mirror and looking for a new bulge where your lower abdomen meets your upper thigh. 

The bulge may be easier to see if you cough, strain, or bear down like you’re having a bowel movement. You can also gently feel the area for a soft lump that appears or gets larger when you cough or strain. 

Keep in mind that not all hernias cause a visible bulge. Small hernias don’t always cause a bulge. Women may not see a bulge either. This has to do with how hernias develop within the female groin anatomy. 

Also keep in mind that a groin lump may not be from a hernia. See your healthcare team if you notice a new bulge, pain, or swelling near your groin.

When should you get care for a hernia?

Make an appointment with a healthcare team if you notice a bump near your groin. They can confirm it’s a hernia and not another medical condition. 

If you already know you have a hernia, watch for signs that it has become incarcerated, which means the hernia has become trapped. An incarcerated hernia is a medical emergency. Get medical care right away if you have:

• A bulge that won’t go back in

• Intense pain or tenderness around the bulge

• Redness or color changes over the bulge

• A hard lump

• Nausea or vomiting

• Intense abdominal pain

• Fever

Groin hernias need to be repaired. If your hernia isn’t trapped, hernia surgery can be planned ahead of time instead of being done as an emergency. 

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Written by:

Jennifer Sample, MD

After a fellowship, Dr. Sample worked as the medical director at the University of Kansas Hospital Poison Center (The University Of Kansas Health System Poison Control Center), which served the state of Kansas for poison exposures. In 2007, she returned to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, as a consultant in clinical pharmacology and medical toxicology.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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