Hernia occurs when a part of an organ protrudes through the muscular fiber that has the role of keeping that organ in its place. This usually happens due to a weakness that appears in the muscles that are around the organ, and causes them to tear and let a part of it come out through the small opening that is created. That part of the organ that protudes will create a proeminent bulge that can usually be seen.

Hernia can appear in different parts of the body, but the most common place where it is encountered is the abdomen. An opening appears in the muscles of the abdominal wall and a part of the abdomen slips through it. The bulge that the abdomen creates can be seen, and it is more prominent when the patient coughs or sneezes and the abdominal pressure increases. This type of hernia is called hiatal hernia.

Other common types of hernia are:

-umbilical hernia, which is seen in young babies, and which appears when the belly button does not close properly after birth, and the abdominal contents slips through the opening
-inguinal hernia, the result of the protrusion of the intestines out of the groin
-femoral hernia, which occurs in the upper thigh
-incisional hernia, that can appear after a surgery where the scar has not been closed properly.

The causes of hernia are weaknesses in the muscles. These can occur because of old age, or if the muscles are worn after many sporting activities. Those who practice a lot of sports, especially football and tennis often have a condition called sports hernia. Sports hernia is similar to hiatal hernia, but in sports hernia the lower abdomen protudes through the tear, and in hiatal hernia the upper abdomen.

Hernia symptoms are the appearance of the bulge in the affected place, and mild pain in that area. Many people can live with these symptoms so they choose not to treat their hernia, but it can get worse and lead to complications so the best thing to do is to consult your doctor, and if he advises you to treat it, then do it soon. Hernia can be treated by a simple surgery, so it's better to do it and get rid of the problem then suffer the pain for a long time.