# Hernia Check

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hernia-check/324918>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 5, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hernia-check/324918 "2005-10-05T17:20:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hernia-check/324918/1 "2005-10-05T17:20:27Z")

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WHat are doctors looking/feeling for in the male hernia evaluation, when they palpate the genital region? What is a positive sign(s) of a hernia?

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**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hernia-check/324918/2 "2005-10-05T17:42:59Z")

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> [@Fuel](#):
>
> WHat are doctors looking/feeling for in the male hernia evaluation, when they palpate the genital region? What is a positive sign(s) of a hernia?

A tear in the muscle, that would make itself apparent when you “turn your head and cough”, thus flexing those muscles.

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**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hernia-check/324918/3 "2005-10-05T18:24:02Z")

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> [@CynicalGabe](#):
>
> A tear in the muscle, that would make itself apparent when you “turn your head and cough”, thus flexing those muscles.

What about potential tears near the upper portion of the pelvis? So, they are NOT checking down there near the genitals for tears in the muscle near the superior portion of the pelvis, in the lower abdomen?

I figured maybe they were referencing a different point of the body than where the potential tear was believed to be… due to some type of referred reaction. This is not the case?

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hernia-check/324918/4 "2005-10-05T19:04:10Z")

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No, we’re not looking for muscle tears. We’re looking for evidence that the contents of the abdominal cavity (the intestines) have found a way to get into the scrotum.

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**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hernia-check/324918/5 "2005-10-05T20:24:31Z")

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> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#):
>
> No, we’re not looking for muscle tears. We’re looking for evidence that the contents of the abdominal cavity (the intestines) have found a way to get into the scrotum.

My bad.