Abdominal hernia

Expert review by:

An abdominal hernia is a weakness in your tummy (abdominal) wall. Some tissue or part of your bowel pushes through and creates a bulge or swelling. This may be in your tummy or groin (the area at the top of your leg). Most hernias are straightforward to repair. But they can sometimes have serious complications.

About abdominal hernia

Your tummy wall is made up of sheets of tough muscles and tendons that run between your ribs and groin. If there’s a weakness in part of the wall, the contents inside can push through. This causes an abdominal hernia.

Your hernia may be painful or you may notice a bulge in your tummy or groin. This may be more noticeable when you cough or strain. Sometimes you might not notice any symptoms at first.

If you have an abdominal hernia, you may need to have surgery to repair it. But this will depend on the type of hernia you have and how likely it is to cause complications.

See a doctor as soon as you can if your hernia suddenly feels very sore or tender, especially if you can’t push it back in. This may mean that some of the hernia contents have become trapped. You’ll need surgery as soon as possible.

Types of abdominal hernia

Abdominal hernias are named according to where the weakness is in your tummy wall. The most common types of abdominal hernia include:

  • inguinal hernia
  • femoral hernia
  • incisional hernia
  • umbilical hernia
  • epigastric hernia

Inguinal and femoral hernias both develop in the lower abdomen, around the groin area.

Umbilical hernias and epigastric hernias are sometimes called ventral hernias.. Umbilical hernias are where the tummy button (umbilicus) is. Epigastric hernias are between the bottom of your breastbone (the bone between your ribs, at the centre of your chest) and your tummy button.

Incisional hernias develop where you’ve had earlier surgery, along the incision.

You may also have heard of hiatus hernia. This isn’t due to a weakness in your tummy wall. It happens when there’s a weakness in your diaphragm (the muscular wall that separates your chest cavity from your abdomen). This weakness allows the top of your stomach to poke through next to your food pipe (oesophagus).

Causes of abdominal hernia

Sometimes babies are born with an abdominal hernia. This happens as the baby develops in the womb. But most hernias develop when you’re an adult.

Abdominal hernia is more likely when there is increased pressure in your tummy. This can happen because of:

You’re more likely to have an abdominal hernia as you get older. This is because your tummy wall muscles get weaker as you get older. It’s also more likely after abdominal surgery.

Symptoms of abdominal hernia

If you have an abdominal hernia, you may have:

  • a lump or swelling somewhere on your tummy or in your groin
  • an aching, dragging or burning sensation in your tummy or groin
  • a feeling of fullness or heaviness in your tummy or groin

The lump or swelling may disappear when you lie down or you may be able to push it back in. It may only appear when you strain-for example, if you cough or lift something heavy.

If you have any of these symptoms, contact your GP.

Sometimes the contents of the hernia can get stuck, and you may no longer be able to push the hernia back inside. Doctors call this an incarcerated hernia. The blood supply to the hernia can also become cut off (a strangulated hernia). These are serious medical conditions. They can cause a blockage in your bowel and lead to further complications. For more information, see our section on complications.

Signs of an incarcerated or strangulated hernia include:

  • your hernia pain has got worse
  • you’ve usually been able to gently push your hernia back, but now you can’t
  • the skin over your hernia bulge becomes red or purple
  • you feel sick or you are sick
  • a decrease in bowel function – you may be unable to poo or pass wind

Seek urgent medical advice if you have any of these symptoms.

Diagnosis of abdominal hernia

A hernia can usually be diagnosed by a GP. The GP will ask about your symptoms and check your tummy or groin area. They may also ask you about your medical history.

Your GP may check your tummy or groin when you're standing up and lying down. They’ll check to see if they can push the bulge back in. They may ask you to cough while they put their finger over the hernia. This is to see if the swelling changes.

Sometimes, if the diagnosis isn’t clear, your GP may suggest you have an ultrasound or CT scan.

GP Subscriptions – Access a GP whenever you need one for less than £20 per month

You can’t predict when you might want to see a GP, but you can be ready for when you do. Our GP subscriptions are available to anyone over 18 and give you peace of mind, with 15-minute appointments when it suits you at no extra cost.

Treatment of abdominal hernia

The only way to cure an abdominal hernia is to repair it with surgery. But abdominal hernias in adults don’t always need to be repaired.

Your GP can discuss with you if surgery is the best option for you. This depends on many things, including the type of hernia you have, how big it is, and if it’s causing symptoms. Your doctor will also assess how likely your hernia is to cause complications. Surgery may be less suitable if you’re older or your general health means that it’s more of a risk.

Umbilical hernias in young children usually get better on their own. But your child may need surgery if the hernia is large or causing symptoms. Or if it hasn’t closed by itself by the time your child is four or five.

Watchful waiting

If your hernia isn’t causing many symptoms, your GP may suggest monitoring you. Your doctor may call this ‘watchful waiting’. That means you’ll only have surgery if you need it.

Speak to your doctor and make sure you’re comfortable with any decision. There may be things you need to consider, such as the risks of having surgery as you get older. Some types of hernia can be safely managed without surgery. But this depends on the type of hernia and its size. Your doctor will need to monitor your hernia to make sure it isn’t getting worse or developing complications.

Your hernia could be getting worse if:

  • it’s becoming more painful
  • you’re getting any constipation
  • you’re feeling or being sick

Contact your GP straightaway if you have any of these signs.

Surgery

If your hernia is likely to cause complications, your doctor will recommend surgery. The surgeon will pull the hernia back into your tummy and repair the weakened muscle. This should prevent it happening again.

You may be able to have the surgery as a keyhole (laparoscopic) procedure. This means the operation is done through small cuts in your lower tummy. Or you may be offered open surgery with a single, larger cut. Both types of surgery have pros and cons, and your surgeon will discuss the best type of operation for you.

How long it takes to recover from surgery will depend on several things. These include where your hernia is, the type of surgery you’ve had, and your general health. If you have keyhole surgery, you’re likely to stay in hospital for less time and recover more quickly. In general, it can take up to six weeks to fully recover and get back to normal. You’ll gradually be able to build up your activity during this time. Don’t lift anything heavy while you’re recovering. You need to give your body time to heal before putting too much strain on the repair.

Types of abdominal hernia surgery

You can have surgery for many types of hernia. Your surgeon will explain what surgery involves in your case. They’ll also answer any questions you have.

Hernia repair with open surgery

You may have this operation under regional or general anaesthesia. A regional anaesthetic is injected into your spine and makes the lower part of your body numb. Depending on where the hernia is, your surgeon will make a single cut in your groin or lower abdomen. Then they’ll push the contents of the hernia back inside and repair the hole in the abdominal wall with stitches (sutures). They will then usually insert a synthetic mesh over the weak part of your abdominal wall to strengthen it. They’ll then close the cut using dissolvable stitches or other methods.

Hernia repair with keyhole surgery

You may also have keyhole surgery under regional or general anaesthesia. Your surgeon operates through several small cuts in your lower tummy or groin. They put the surgical instruments and a laparoscope (telescopic camera) through these cuts. First, your surgeon will pull the contents of the hernia back inside. As with an open repair, they will then repair any weakness in the abdominal wall and secure a synthetic mesh over it to strengthen it. They’ll then close the cuts with dissolvable stitches or other methods.


Complications of abdominal hernia

Incarcerated (stuck) or strangulated hernias are serious complications that need urgent surgery. Strangulated means the hernia is cutting off the blood supply to the bowel.

An untreated strangulated hernia can cause a hole in the bowel wall inside the body. Doctors call this a bowel perforation. It can lead to a life-threatening infection and needs urgent treatment. For information on the signs of an incarcerated or strangulated hernia, see our section on symptoms.

There are also potential complications associated with surgery for abdominal hernia. These include:

  • infection
  • adhesions (bands of scar tissue that can make tissues inside your body stick together)
  • haematomas (a build-up of blood in the space where the hernia used to be)
  • seromas (a build-up of clear fluid under your skin, where the hernia used to be)

There is also a chance that your hernia may come back after surgery. Modern surgical techniques reduce the risk of this happening. Your surgeon will discuss the risks and benefits of surgery with you before you decide whether or not to go ahead.

Prevention of abdominal hernia

Anything that increases pressure inside your tummy increases your risk of abdominal hernia. There are several things that can increase abdominal pressure. You may be able to reduce your risk of hernia by avoiding some of these.

  • Coughing. Seek medical help if you have a long-term cough. There may be a cause for your symptoms, and you can get help to treat them. Smoking is a common cause of a persistent cough. If you’d like help to stop smoking, speak to your pharmacist or GP.
  • Straining when you poo. To help prevent constipation, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and gradually increase your fibre intake. Also make sure you’re drinking enough fluids.
  • Being overweight. Try to lose excess weight by eating a healthy balanced diet and getting more active.
  • Lifting heavy objects can strain your tummy muscles. Make sure you’re using a correct lifting technique and, if possible, try to find ways to reduce heavy lifting. Most surgeons ask their patients not to lift anything heavier than 10 to 15kg.

You may notice a lump or swelling somewhere in your tummy or groin if you have an abdominal hernia. Or you may just have a feeling of fullness in the area. It may ache or feel uncomfortable.

For more information, see our section on symptoms of abdominal hernia.

Some babies are born with an abdominal hernia. But in adults, they’re usually caused by strain or pressure in your tummy. This can be due to persistent coughing, straining on the toilet, lifting heavy objects or being overweight or pregnant.

For more information, see our section on causes of abdominal hernia.

The only way to permanently repair a hernia is surgery. But not all hernias need to be repaired. Your doctor will talk you through the treatment options.

For more information, see our section on treatment of abdominal hernia.

Some hernias don’t need to be treated straightaway. But sometimes delaying treatment can increase the risk of dangerous complications. Discuss the pros and cons of having surgery with your doctor to find out what’s best in your case.

For more information, see our sections on treatment and complications of abdominal hernia.

How long it takes to recover from abdominal hernia surgery depends on several things. These include where your hernia is, the type of surgery you’ve had, and your general health. In general, it can take up to six weeks to fully recover and get back to normal.

For more information, see our section on treatment of abdominal hernia.

More on this topic

Did our Abdominal hernia information help you?

We’d love to hear what you think. Our short survey takes just a few minutes to complete and helps us to keep improving our health information.

The health information on this page is intended for informational purposes only. We do not endorse any commercial products, or include Bupa's fees for treatments and/or services. For more information about prices visit: www.bupa.co.uk/health/payg

This information was published by Bupa's Health Content Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals and deemed accurate on the date of review. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition.

Any information about a treatment or procedure is generic, and does not necessarily describe that treatment or procedure as delivered by Bupa or its associated providers.

The information contained on this page and in any third party websites referred to on this page is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment. Third party websites are not owned or controlled by Bupa and any individual may be able to access and post messages on them. Bupa is not responsible for the content or availability of these third party websites. We do not accept advertising on this page.

  • Smith J, Parmely JD. Ventral hernia. StatPearls Publishing. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, last updated August 2023
  • Abdominal hernias. Medscape. emedicine.medscape.com, last updated March 2023
  • Abdominal hernia. Patient. patient.info, last updated February 2023
  • Oxford Handbook of Clinical Surgery (5 edn). Abdominal wall. Oxford Academic. academic.oup.com, published November 2021
  • Hiatal hernia. Medscape. emedicine.medscape.com, last updated September 2019
  • Hammoud M, Gerken J. Inguinal hernia. StatPearls Publishing. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, last updated August 2023
  • Hammoud M, Gerken J. Inguinal hernia. StatPearls Publishing. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books, last updated 22 August 2021
  • Goethals A, Azmat CE, Adams CT. Femoral hernia. StatPearls Publishing. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, last updated July 2023
  • Coste AH, Damarnni S, Leslie SW. Umbilical hernia. StatPearls Publishing. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, last updated February 2024
  • Hope WW, Tuma F. Incisional hernia. StatPearls Publishing. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, last updated June 2023
  • Trouilliard Lucas AGT, Bamami S, Panda SK, et al. Pediatric umbilical hernia. StatPearls Publishing. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, last updated November 2023
  • Groin hernia repair. Royal College of Surgeons. rcseng.ac.uk, accessed July 2024
  • Your spinal anaesthetic. Royal College of Anaesthetists. rcoa.ac.uk, last reviewed April 2023
  • Oxford Handbook of Operative Surgery. General surgery. Oxford Academic. academic.oup.com, published May 2017
  • Femoral hernia repair. Medline Plus. medlineplus.gov, last reviewed November 2023
  • Groin hernia and you. British Hernia Society. britishherniasociety.org, accessed July 2024
  • Cough. NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. cks.nice.org.uk, last revised August 2023
  • Constipation. NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. cks.nice.org.uk, last revised January 2024
  • Obesity: identification, assessment and management. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). nice.org.uk, last updated July 2023
  • Good handling technique. Health and Safety Executive. hse.gov.uk, accessed July 2024
Content review by:
  • Liz Woolf, Freelance Health Editor
The Patient Information Forum tick


Our information has been awarded the PIF tick for trustworthy health information.

Content is loading