A hernia is a defect between the muscles of the abdominal wall, resulting in a bulge.
Common types of hernias are:
1) Umbilical hernia: Located at the belly button where it appears as a round lump of fat pushing the belly button outward. This is one of the most common hernias.
2) Inguinal hernia: In this type of hernia the bulge appears in the groin, and it is more common in men than in women.
3) Femoral hernia: This type of hernia is more common in women than in men. The hernia normally appears below the groin as a fixed lump.
4) Incisional hernia: This occurs after surgery and is usually a failure of the abdominal muscles to heal.
5) Sports hernia (athletic pubalgia): This is not a true hernia but presents with similar symptoms to a regular inguinal hernia. This is a soft tissue injury to the groin which often occurs during sports that require sudden changes of direction or intense twisting movements. There are a number of groin injuries that cause pain and it is important to have a multidisciplinary assessment including a surgeon to determine the diagnosis and management strategies.