Hernias
Hernias are protrusions of a tissue, or an organ, outside its normal position. When these occur in the groin some abdominal contents, usually a part of the small intestine, bulges either directly through the muscle of the abdominal wall (and therefore called a direct hernia) or more commonly down the canal, called the inguinal canal, which is the path taken by the testicles on their journey into the scrotum (and so called an indirect inguinal hernia, because it does not pass directly through the wall).
The inguinal canal normally contains only the spermatic cord, made up of the testicular artery and vein, nerves, and the vas deferens, and is closed. Increasing abdominal pressure due, for example, to obesity, or a chronic cough, can open this canal and allow a hernia to develop. These may be small, only appear after coughing, and easily be returned by gentle pressure - a process called reducing the hernia - or large and impossible to reduce, when they're called incarcerated. More seriously they may become blocked, with pain, nausea and vomiting, requiring emergency medical attention. The discomfort caused by hernias may be reduced by keeping them in place using a truss, but surgical repair is likely to be required to prevent complications.
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