Symptoms of a Hernia

The size of a hernia does not necessarily correlate to the severity of symptoms. In fact, smaller hernias can often hurt more than larger hernias. The two main symptoms are bulging in the abdomen and pain, burning or discomfort in the area.

In rare cases, the protruding intestinal contents can become trapped in the hernia – this is called incarceration. The telltale signs are a bulge that does not go away when pushed or lying down, and enhanced pain, sometimes severe. This may lead to the strangulation of the hernia, which involves the partial or complete cutting off of blood flow to the incarcerated portion of intestine. This is an emergency situation requiring immediate surgery. The most common symptoms of an incarcerated or strangulated hernia are:

• Severe pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Inability to pass gas or stool
• Sometimes an inflamed, tender and red bulge at or near the hernia site