An Inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia.

It can appear as a swelling or lump in your groin, or as an enlarged scrotum (the pouch containing the testicles). The swelling may be painful.

The lump often appears when you’re lifting something and disappears when you lie down.

A hernia happens when an internal part of the body pushes through a weakness in the muscle or surrounding tissue wall.

Your muscles are usually strong and tight enough to keep your intestines and organs in place, but a hernia can develop if there are any weak spots.

Inguinal hernias can be repaired using surgery to push the bulge back into place and strengthen the weakness in the abdominal wall.

The operation is usually recommended if you have a hernia that causes pain, severe or persistent symptoms, or if any serious complications develop.

There are 2 ways an Inguinal hernia repair can be performed:

• Open surgery – where a cut is made to allow the surgeon to push the lump back into the abdomen

• Laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery – a less invasive, but more difficult technique where several smaller cuts are made, allowing the surgeon to use instruments to repair the hernia.