Diagnosis

Hernias are typically discovered either by the patient who notices a bulge (generally while they’re taking a shower and they don’t have any clothes on) or they go in to see their doctor who performs an annual exam and says, “Hey, by the way, did you know that you have a hernia?” They are usually visible and usually what you see as a bulge. Occasionally hernias can be smaller and they don’t have a bulge, but they do cause pain. Under further examination – either with an ultrasound or an MRI – we can tell that a patient has a hernia.