How is a hernia diagnosed?

A physical exam by your surgeon is often enough to diagnose a hernia. During this examination, your surgeon may see or feel for a bulge in your abdominal or groin area that gets larger when you stand, cough, or strain.

If the diagnosis is not clear, an ultrasound examination of the abdominal wall can be performed to detect a small or recurrent hernia or to differentiate the hernia from other changes such as subcutaneous tissue tumors, enlarged lymph nodes, abscesses, blood vessel aneurysms, genetic abnormalities (undescended testicle), etc.

CT examination of the abdomen (scanner) or MR (magnetic resonance imaging) are sometimes used to diagnose large and complex hernias.