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