Inguinal Hernia

These last few months Travis has had pain in his lower abdomen. This month the pain increased so much that he decided to see a doctor. The Doctor told Travis that he has an Inguinal Hernia and he will have to go in for surgery. Inguinal (pronounced: in-gwuh-nul) hernias are more likely to occur in guys than girls. More than 70% of all hernias that occur are inguinal hernias, which means that a part of the intestines protrudes through an opening in the lower part of the abdomen, near the groin, called the inguinal canal. If you have an inguinal hernia, you might be able to see a bulge where your thigh and your groin meet. In guys, the protruding piece of intestine may enter the scrotum, which can cause swelling and pain. Symptoms of an inguinal hernia might include pain when you cough, lift something heavy, or bend over. These types of hernias require surgery to repair; in fact, inguinal hernia operations are the most common type of surgery performed on kids and teens. Travis has been in a lot of pain and is excited to go in for surgery and be back to normal again.