Examination | Hernia checks: Why are they n…

Views: 1170 Created: 2020.09.26

First post

"Turn your head for me and cough."

"Again."

Many of us men have experienced this since the days of our youth, perhaps years before we even knew why we were being asked to cough, why the doc was sticking his/her finger up our inguinal canal via our scrotum, what they were looking for, why we even had to turn our head (as if that the head turn triggered some kind of muscular reaction vs merely coughing in the doc's face. Hell, I turned my head while supine, when the doc wasn't even near my face. )

And then, at some point, it all STOPS.

Is it all the accusations of sexual harassment, the increasing modesty toward males to insist they wear gowns, when Gen X and older were all tighty whitey prone ? The "don't do any more than absolutely necessary mentality", driven by a combo of modesty concern, potentially sexual harassment lawsuit concern, or maybe the health insurance companies say it's not worth it beyond a certain age.

AND I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE

I visited a friend earlier this evening at a bar he owns to wish him a "happy 55th". He has been living with a hernia that has gone undetected for a while now. He has had beyond annual physicals, due to other health issues, and a recent accident in which his vehicle was struck by a drunk driver from an oncoming lane. Yet, not too long ago did they discover the hernia. And nothing he did ever triggered him to know he had one.

When I visited him to wish him a happy 55th, I noticed a fuckin weird triangle projecting from his shirt, like a pool rack had gathered the fat of his stomach together to start a game. Afraid to even go there, he eventually told me of that health complication and even alluded to it.

BUT HERE IT IS

IF you can have a hernia AND NOT EVEN KNOW IT, why isn't that something regularly checked among male patients regardless of age. I have a physical coming up soon, and I know I plan to ask my primary care about it. Whether I get an honest and/or accurate answer, based on whatever is another story.

But you folks, and this is one topic where I actually invite medical care professionals to weigh in (whereas I normally tend to discourage them, because they tend to get too fuckin obnoxious at times), why does what seems to be an all important hernia check in our youth, tend not to be important at all, enough to give that quick "turn your head and cough for me"........

I'm also wondering if there is any correlation between male and female docs, if males are more apt to perform them, while female docs not, etc.

LordJim2

I have yearly checks. Had surgery for inguinal hernia a few years ago. Lost some of the sensation in the groin area as a result of nerves being cut and still aware of the mesh when I cough quite a bit.

iamweasel2112

Ive had a hernia check twice only in my life that I can recall, and I'm 41 now

Ive never had a DRE either….

Eyeman

Well at 53 years old my female physician did a hernia check, very thorough one at that. This was just 2 months ago.

srg rik

Moderator

srg rik

Moderator

… "Among adults, the chance of having an inguinal hernia increases with age, and inguinal hernias are most common in people ages of 75 to 80.2"
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/inguinal-hernia#tests
It seems irresponsible for a doctor to NOT check for older males!

And my doctor did, last October.

roscoe

"Among adults, the chance of having an inguinal hernia increases with age, and inguinal hernias are most common in people ages of 75 to 80.2"

Too late now, I'm almost 82. I guess I aced that one.

The last hernia check I remember was when I was a teen.

Mustanng95

I’m 53 last year a my DOT exam. Nurse practitioner who I had seen for many dot exams and for regular health issues. and wellness exams. This time she said she needed to do a hernia check and a rectal exam I was not excepting this.

Castro

A lot of what doctors in the US (and perhaps other countries as well) is driven by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). They don't have a recommendation for hernias, but they recommend against routine testicular exams ("The USPSTF recommends against screening for testicular cancer in adolescent or adult men.")

I think in the US and perhaps in other countries there is more of a desire on the part of healthcare practitioners to not cause unnecessary embarrassment to patients, even if it lower the thoroughness of care.

Also, there may not be a lot of benefit from fixing an asymptomatic hernia. If a hernia gets big enough or bothersome enough, patients will come in to get checked out if their hernia gets large enough or is uncomfortable (or becomes strangulated - which is an emergency). https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Large-inguinal-hernia-These-hernias-can-be-several-centimeters-in-diameter-and_fig3_47459711

Rigel

@Castro That seems to make sense. I'm pretty sure I would know if I had a hernia - and if one were bothering me I would go get it checked. If I had a job where I did heavy lifting - or did weight training - I would probably be conscious of it, but I don't think getting checked would preclude one from happening. My son got a double hernia lifting weights - no prior exams detected any weakness or susceptibility to getting one. As far as testicular cancer, I subconsciously check that almost every time I shower. My wife also spent a lot of time doing oral checks on my testicles - so I am sure she would have noticed anything. 😜. I don't really see a need for a doctor to check for those unless one suspects something. Maybe when young checking for normal development.

Tingue77

I'll be getting my first thorough genital exam in late March, my past doctors never examined me down there so I'm gonna make sure my new doctor includes a genital exam in my physical every year

Srgfgahs

I had an inguinal hernia. None of the doctors who had me ‘turn and cough’ ever detected a weakness either. I see no point in having this exam. Now that I know how to examine my own testicles and know what ‘normal’ feels like I see no point in having this exam either.