What is a femoral hernia
John Thompson
Updated on April 11, 2026
A femoral hernia is a bulge in the upper part of the thigh near the groin. Inguinal hernia is the result of an organ, usually bowel, protruding through a weak point or tear in the thin muscular abdominal wall.
What are the symptoms of a femoral hernia?
- groin discomfort that may worsen when standing, lifting, or straining.
- abdominal pain.
- nausea.
- vomiting.
Can a femoral hernia heal itself?
A femoral hernia will not heal by itself and requires surgery to be repaired. 3 Initially, the hernia may only be a small lump in the groin, and it can grow much larger over time. It may also appear to grow and shrink with different activities.
How do you fix a femoral hernia?
Femoral hernias can be repaired using surgery to push the bulge back into place and strengthen the weakness in the wall of the tummy. Unlike some other types of hernia, treatment of femoral hernias is almost always recommended straight away because there’s a higher risk of complications developing in these cases.What happens if a femoral hernia goes untreated?
When left untreated, a femoral hernia can result in additional complications, some of them severe. These complications may include: Incarcerated hernia: A hernia can grow to obstruct the bowel if its contents become trapped in the weak area of the abdominal wall.
What can be mistaken for a hernia?
(SLS). Hernias can go misdiagnosed in women, and can instead be thought to be ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, or other abdominal issues, according to the SLS. Women’s hernias can be small and internal. They might not be a bulge that can be felt in an exam or be visible outside the body, according to the SLS.
Can you walk with a femoral hernia?
In second case scenario, the size of the hernia is considerably large and it may also hurt badly. This can become worse with time and you can face difficulty and pain in walking, lifting things etc. In some severe cases, femoral hernia causes a lot of pain and my end up blocking your intestines.
Where is a femoral hernia located on a woman?
Femoral hernias occur in the upper part of the thigh, just below the inguinal ligament. They are most common in women over the age of 65. Because they don’t cause a visible bump, they are often not noticeable at first.What is the difference between inguinal and femoral hernia?
An inguinal hernia involves a portion of intestine bulging into or through the inguinal canal. A femoral hernia involves a portion of intestine bulging through the femoral canal, which houses the femoral artery as it runs from the abdomen to the groin and upper thigh.
How long does it take to recover from femoral hernia surgery?You should also be able to return to work after 2 or 3 weeks, although you may need more time off if your job involves manual labour. Gentle exercise, such as walking, can help the healing process, but you should avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activities for about 4 to 6 weeks.
Article first time published onHow urgent is femoral hernia surgery?
Fomoral hernias develop in the upper part of the thigh near the groin just below the inguinal ligament, where abdominal contents pass through a naturally occurring weakness called the femoral canal. Because of the high incidence of complications, femoral hernias often need emergency surgery.
How long does a femoral hernia operation take?
The operation should take about 30 to 45 minutes to complete and you’ll usually be able to go home the same day. Some people stay in hospital overnight if they have other medical problems or if they live alone. Read more about recovering from femoral hernia repair.
What kind of doctor do you see for a femoral hernia?
What kind of doctor do you see for a hernia? When you have a hernia, treatment will start with your primary care provider. If you need surgery to repair the hernia, you’ll be referred to a general surgeon. In fact, ventral hernia repairs are one of the most common operations U.S. general surgeons perform.
Can a hernia cause back and hip pain?
What started as pressure or discomfort can turn into pain. The pain may not just be in the area of the hernia; it can radiate to your hip, back, leg — even to the genitals. As your hernia gets worse, many aspects of your life will get worse right along with it.
Can you live with a hernia without surgery?
A hernia usually does not go away without surgery. Non-surgical approaches such as wearing a corset, binder, or truss may exert gentle pressure on the hernia and keep it in place. These methods may ease the pain or discomfort and may be used if you are not fit for the surgery or awaiting surgery.
Can a femoral hernia cause lower back pain?
These hernias can be present at birth or develop over time. They’re more common in men than in women. The tissue or intestine also can poke through a weakened area into the scrotum. Most people feel pain or pressure in the immediate area, but they can also experience pain in their mid or lower back.
Should you go to the ER for a femoral hernia?
Femoral Hernias While most cases do not require a rush to the ER, it is important that you contact your general surgeon to learn more about options to correct it. Depending on your risk for strangulation, urgent surgery may be indicated.
Can a hernia cause bloating and weight gain?
Hernias can sometimes lead to obstruction of the intestines that can result in symptoms related to blockage, like bloating, abdominal cramps and constipation, Krikhely says.
Does a hernia make you look fat?
Appearance. The hernia will look like a bulge or bump in the scrotum or groin region. Standing or bearing down with force will often make the bulge more noticeable. The bulge typically takes time to appear, but it can form suddenly after coughing, lifting heavy weights, straining, bending, or laughing.
Can a hernia make you tired?
Weakness. A feeling of muscle fatigue and weakness in the upper leg and groin can be a sign of a hernia.
Why femoral hernia is common on right side?
Both femoral and inguinal hernias occur more often on the right side. This is likely due to a developmental delay in closure of the processus vaginalis after the normal slower descent of the right testis during fetal development.
Can a hernia be life threatening?
An incarcerated hernia can become strangulated, which cuts off the blood flow to the tissue that’s trapped. A strangulated hernia can be life-threatening if it isn’t treated. Signs and symptoms of a strangulated hernia include: Nausea, vomiting or both.
Which leg is the femoral artery in?
The femoral artery is the major blood vessel supplying blood to your legs. It’s in your upper thigh, right near your groin.
What Does a Female groin hernia feel like?
The main symptom of an inguinal hernia is a bulge in the groin or scrotum. It often feels like a round lump. The bulge may form over a period of weeks or months. Or it may appear suddenly after you’ve been lifting heavy weights, coughing, bending, straining, or laughing.
What Does a Female hernia feel like?
Typically, patients with ventral hernias describe mild pain, aching or a pressure sensation at the site of the hernia. The discomfort worsens with any activity that puts a strain on the abdomen, such as heavy lifting, running or bearing down during bowel movements. Some patients have a bulge but do not have discomfort.
Is hernia surgery a major surgery?
A hernia repair is a common but major surgery with significant risks and potential complications. You may have less invasive treatment options available.
How painful is a hernia operation?
While you may experience pain before and after hernia surgery, you will likely be asleep during surgery and will not feel any pain. In most open, laparoscopic and robotic hernia repairs, your hernia surgery will use general anesthesia during the procedure. General anesthesia is very safe due to precise administration.
Will hernia repair flatten my stomach?
When the abdominal muscles are stretched or torn, your stomach will protrude. Dr. Hunsicker can tighten and repair these muscles to firm and flatten your abdominal area.
Why is femoral hernia prone to strangulation?
Introduction. Femoral hernias are at high risk of strangulation due to the narrow femoral canal and femoral ring. This can lead to symptoms of obstruction or strangulation requiring emergency surgery and possible bowel resection.
How do you know if your hernia is strangulated?
- acute pain that comes on suddenly and may get more severe.
- bloody stools.
- constipation.
- darkening or reddening of the skin over the hernia.
- fatigue.
- fever.
- inability to pass gas.
- inflammation or tenderness around the hernia.
Do femoral hernias have a peritoneal sac?
Femoral hernia develop as herniations of the peritoneal sac through the femoral ring into the femoral canal, medial to femoral vessels. The femoral hernia sac have been reported commonly consisting of omentum or small bowel.