Coughing During Hernia Exam

Did anyone else ever get chastised for not coughing hard enough during a hernia exam? I remember being embarrassed standing naked with my mom and sister in the room and the doctor's hands on my privates. When I was asked to cough I tried to cough as quietly as possible. The doctor wasn't happy with my weak cough and let me know about it. I had to repeat the exam and this time the doctor said big cough for me. I let out a loud cough and the doctor said good. She switched to the other side and said big cough again. I let out another loud cough and she said good. It was so embarrassing standing naked while my mom and sister watched and the doctor made me cough multiple times.

Not sure if it counts as being chastised but, yeah, I remember times as a kid/teen being told to cough harder.

Had a few genital examinations but was never asked to cough.

I have on occasion been asked to cough twice/side but not really chastised. A hard cough is necessary to create enough interabdominal pressure to cause a possible hernia to drop.

I was always asked to cough; one for each testicle and done with my briefs off!

I recall after coughing the doctor saying "again". Never chastised, and I don't think I coughed any harder or less the second time.

No I just coughed and that was good enough!

Turn your head and cough…that was standard procedure. I never knew what it was for until the Dr had done it at several exams. It was always a little embarrassing to pull the shorts down and have him touching things there.

My pediatrician always treated me well. At one of my physicals she politely said "Lets try this again, buddy. How about a stronger cough for me , ok?"

One of my exams at the pediatrician in my early teens, he had an Indian female student doctor with him. When it came time to do the genital exam/hernia, I think he was exaggerating for demonstrative effect pressing into my inguinal canal and asking me to cough a few times. Telling her you should ask the patient to cough again to really make sure you're not feeling any hernias.

Before the hernia check, the extra time spent on showing my developing pubic hair distribution and palpating my penis, opening my meatus, and palpating my testicles gave me an erection that was immediately quelled with the intrusion to the canal. The student doctor didn't get to participate to help move things along, and I dumbfoundingly just had my hands at the hips trying not to watch. Now I kind of wish I did more watching.

I’ve never been chastised but have had hernia exams when the doctor has said again at times.

I've actually never had to cough for a hernia exam! These days, although my PCP still examines my testicles, I don't get a hernia check. When I was younger, my doctor would check for hernias by sliding a finger into my inguinal canal after rolling my testicles around and just asking me to bear down a little bit.

Yes! In fact during most of my exams, during the genital exam the doctor was mostly silent - except to announce “cough! Again”, then they’d snap my undies back in place.

I had this doctor at the company I worked for who did all the employees' annual exams. He always checked me for hernia while ha had me supine. One time, he told me to cough, and I did, but my head wasn't turned to the side. So as i coughed, i was turning my head. He gave me an, "Again?!" , meaning he didn't get it right and wanted to check again. So he was in my inguinal canal for just a bit longer than normal.

But I think about this "stop and pause' moment during the procedure as both of us focusing on what was happening. As opposed to them always making small talk as they examine you, and the hernia part being a quick 2 coughs and done. So it kind of put the spotlight on where his fingers were and for me to submit to the command of the doctor in the dominant role.

Then you start to think about, "What if the receptionist can hear beyond thin walls, both the commands and the coughing, and try to picture what is happening"

@JTMac So the doctor has her finger up my groin, impaling me. Like your doctor she says, "turn your head to the side and cough." okay . Same other side. I asked, "why do I turn my head to the side? Does the head turn pull on the hernia?" Reply "No. It's just so you don't cough in my face."

Leaving the doctor's office I met a friend. He asked if there was anything wrong (seeing I exited dr's office) "No. Just a physical." He grinned slyily and coughed.

"No. It's just so you don't cough in my face."

... "No. Just a physical." He grinned slyily and coughed.

As I was supine, I didn't need to turn my head to avoid coughing in the doc's face. At the time, I thought the test would not work right until your head was turned to the side. I think I would turn my head to the other side when they would check the other side.

And yes, when you're younger and mention a physical, someone will no doubt heckle you with a cough. You would tell someone you were getting a physical, and it would be embarrassing, because you knew saying so would make them conjure thoughts about what would inevitably experience.

Even if I had a hernia check in the supine position - which has never happened - I would turn my head to the opposite side and cough out of habit.

I've never been chastised about the cough. But yes, my doc does make me cough more than once. He usually goes "ok, again" or "one more cough".

What's more intriguing is whether you can hear the coughing from the exam room beside. 😜

What's more intriguing is whether you can hear the coughing from the exam room beside. 😜

@choosinwhite I could hear the nurses and doctors outside of the exam room. I could hear the medical charts rattling and the door being opened. This was always a moment of embarrassment and excitement since I would be on display sitting in just my underwear on the exam table. You could hear muffled noises and discussions from the exam rooms next to you. I'm guessing someone has heard me coughing at some point. I wonder what they were thinking at that moment?

Yes. I do remember being told to cough harder a few times during exams in my teen years. I had a female pediatrician who was very thorough with the genital exam. There was no way I was going to get away with a weak cough during the hernia check. If it was weak, she would say "Big cough". I would then give a very loud cough. I'm sure people outside of the exam room could hear it. They were not quite as strict at the group sports physicals that I had at school. It seemed like you could get away with a weak cough there. They just want to get everybody through quickly.

I often had to cough twice. I don’t remember being told to do it harder, but the doctor would often say something like “cough”, “and again”.

I was never chastised, but definitely was asked to cough more than once, which prolonged the exam.

Can anyone speak to the reason for turning your head? I was always told to 'turn you head and cough.' I asked a friend one time about his experiences and he replied, 'you wouldn't cough in his face, stupid.' His doctor stood, and reached down. Mine always sat on the small stool, so my face was above his.

You just answered your own question. Don't cough on the doctor.

I have never been chastised, but, occasionally, a doctor will ask for more than one cough on each side. I always try to give a good forceful cough because I am anxious to get the degrading process over with.

No my doctor never cared even if it was a weak cough.

My coughs seemed to be OK for my Doctors

I don't recall when I was examined at my Pediatricians office, but when I was older I did have a hernia in my groin. I was about 19 years old. The doctors that examined me, including the surgeon did make me cough in their exams. But not when I was examined by the Pediatrician and Nurses.

I do not recall being chastised, but I always was told to cough twice.

I had similar feelings when I was about 13. I had a double hernia, my mother was present for all my pre hospital exams. I can remember having my bottom half fully exposed and standing with my legs slightly apart with the doctor pressing in my groin. He told me to turn my head and cough a few times, it did feel a bit awkward, but I felt similar whenever I had to have my chest listened to and I was told to open my mouth and take deep breaths in and out.