Getting back to basics: What are hernia symptoms?

Hernia symptoms vary dramatically from one patient to the next. While some of the hernia symptoms listed below may be present in one patient, another patient may experience no symptoms. Some patients’ hernia symptoms may develop slowly over time while other patients may develop severe hernia symptoms acutely. Many patients ask, “How do I know if I have a hernia?”, “What are the symptoms of a hernia?” and “What does a hernia feel like?”. I hope that below you are able to learn more about the symptoms of hernias. One of the most common symptoms of a hernia is the rapid onset of pain at the hernia site. Pain which develops quickly is often caused by extreme pressure on the muscles, the peritoneum, and the nerves in the area of the hernia (see below). As fat and internal organs press through the small hole in the muscle (which is the hernia), the surrounding muscles and nerves are under pressure. This pressure is what causes the acute pain in many hernia patients. This is also why when the hernia is ‘reduced’, or pushed back in, the pain is often relieved since the pressure on the muscles and nerves in the area is reduced.

When internal fat or internal organs press through a hole in the muscle, a hernia develops. This is one of the most common symptoms of a hernia. These internal organs and fat cause the skin over the hernia to ‘bulge’ out. When patients reduce the hernia back inside, often that bulge regresses and disappears. However, when the hernia contents push back through the hole in the muscle, the bulge returns.

You can read more on our ‘Hernia Symptoms‘ page.