Hernia check

When the doctor checked you for a hernia during an examination with the “cough test” how many times did they ask you to cough? It was usually twice for me and sometimes I was asked to cough harder the second time.

Usually once from each side.

Usually once per side. . Once the doc thought he felt a bulge and he must have had me cough six or seven times. He also really dug his finger in and suggested I had the start of a hernia and to be careful lifting heavy things blah, blah, blah. The next year the same doc did an other hernia check, one or two quick coughs on each side and he said everything looks good. I was expecting another in depth check and wondered whether he bothered to read his notes from the previous year! Downstream, after I moved, a couple of other docs did hernia checks (one or two coughs) and didn’t ntice anything.

@Rigel

I found some examinations were more thorough than others, but a doctor didn’t ever suggest I may have the signs of the beginnings of a hernia - thankfully!

Had a hernia when I was 13, remember the doctor pressing his fingers into both sides and telling me to cough twice each side, I had several of these exams prior to going into hospital and prior to my op.

At my military exam, when I was 19 years old, it was one cough for each side.

Through adolescence it was always 1-2 coughs per side, either standing or laying down depending on practitioner. As I reached adulthood, hernia checks stopped altogether.

When i developed a hernia, I went to one of my doctor’s PA. She had me laying down at first and could not detect it, checking both sides multiple times as comparison. I told her it was visible when I’m standing, so she had me repeat the process while standing in front of her. Sure enough she could visibly see it protruding and was able to feel it internally. She ordered an ultrasound for confirmation.

Even after I had my right side repaired, i still don’t get a check on my left side. Sometimes I want to ask for it, but obviously I knew before she did when the hernia developed.

Here is an old archived topic that may give some member's opinions on hernia exams.

I had a recent hernia check by a surgeon (I have a small right inguinal hernia) and was asked to cough once on each side, and in both the supine and standing positions...so 4 times total. My urologist also checked me earlier this month, and I coughed once on each side while standing at that appointment.

These two exams are the first real physician genital examinations I've had in 7 years. Long time to wait for those, they're just not a thing any more in physicals. Too bad.

Doc just says cough as he checks each side. I usually do a double cough

At the pediatrician, it was "cough for me" followed by "again." The the doctor would switch sides and repeat the process. If I didn't cough hard enough, it would be "cough harder" followed by "big cough."

My physicals dont even include that anymore.....

More often than not, it is "cough" then "again" on each side. I have not had one in a while; however, I was once told I might be developing the beginnings of one, then it was never mentioned by any other doctor. Recently, I've been experiencing symptoms, and am monitoring it. Will have it looked at if I feel it is needed.

I had two inguinal hernias, both sides, a large one and a small one. They would only operate on one side at a time. So they did the largest one first.

At the follow up appointment for the small hernia I was asked to lie down on the examination table and remove the bottom half of my clothing and I was given a small towel to cover my bits with. Now along side the Dr (male) there was a female nurse in the room taking notes and doing whatever the Dr asked her to do. After some time poking and prodding around watching the bump appear and disappear as I strained he asked me to stand up as he was unable to find the information that he was looking for with me laying down. He called the nurse over to hold the towel in place to maintain my modestly whilst he examined me, but no matter how he tried he kept bashing arms and hands with the nurse who was holding the towel whilst trying not to look down. Seeing the the situation was impossible, I said "Allow me" I took the towel from the nurse and threw it to to one side over a chair and said "now just get on with it". The nurse gave me a little smile and turned away and the Dr looked at me in disbelief.

So many medical professionals have seen the naked me over the years what difference were two more going make?

One cough each side.

Last few physicals haven't included the hernia check anymore

Usually twice per side.

I I took the towel from the nurse and threw it to one side over a chair and said "now just get on with it". The nurse gave me a little smile and turned away and the Dr looked at me in disbelief.?

Such a breath of fresh air after reading so many posts on Quora by guys that adamantly don't want a woman present whenever they are seeing a urologist., or any male doctor for that matter.

Back in the day! Elementary and HS, the Doc would have me cough once on each side and then a second time he wanted me to cough and bare down while coughing, Later as an adult I hardly even took my underwear off. Currently, I have not had a genitalia check for years.

At school it was always "Turn your head left and take a deep cough for me. And again. Now turn right and take a deep cough. And again".

From 11-17 my pediatrician would generally stick his fingers in my scrotum while checking my testicles laying down, and say verbatim “cough! Again.” And that was the end of the genital exam

I had many sports physicals during my teen years and I usually had to cough twice (Once on each side). Although there were times I apparently didn't cough loud enough and was told to cough harder. I think I finally learned by my late teens to cough hard and loud the first time to avoid the additional embarrassment of having to do it again.

From the time I was about eight years old, I noticed that when I was standing, I could feel a little ball about the size of a marble, protruding from my belly, down near my groin on the right side. I thought it was pretty cool that I could press on the ball and it would slip up inside my abdomen, and my finger could follow it, sort of like it was sliding up inside a tube or tunnel. Then I could pull my finger out and the little ball would slide back out. When I would lie down on my back, the ball would disappear inside my belly and refuse to come out and play...until I stood up again. Yeah, it was pretty cool being my own pinball machine. I thought about joining the circus and becoming an exhibit next to the bearded woman, but I didn't know where to submit my application.

With my limited medical background, I didn't know that it was a medical issue and I never thought to ask my parents about it, much less the pediatrician who I seldom saw except for the worst ffffcolds and sore throats and other things that did not involve the lower abdomen or pelvic area.

When I was 12, I had to have a physical exam before I could attend Boy Scout camp for a week. My pediatrician did in fact check for a hernia. He reached down and behind my testicles and pressed up while asking me to cough, but he did not ask me to turn my head and cough--just asked me to cough. He didn't know that I had a hernia and I didn't know to ask him about my ball-and-tube show.

When I was almost 22 and married--fully married, not almost married--I started feeling a pain in my groin, especially when I lifted heavy objects. I went to our familly doctor and inquired. He had me turn my head and cough while he fingered me down below and said, "You have an inguinal hernia that needs to be repaired with surgery before it strangulates and kills you."

A month later, I had the inguinal hernia-repair surgery during which I woke up. Before the anesthesiologist could slip me a little more of the good stuff to knock me back out, I asled if he would let me stay awake because I wasn't hurting due to the spinal block which completely numb from my hips down to my toes. I remember thinking that it was a good thing that Isf

Instead of coughing, my doctor had me "bear down" while he did the hernia exam, and the reasoning was because he claims you could feel it better that way instead of just a brief cough.

One check I had was thorough but then again it was quite obvious I had one at that time and did have to have it repaired