Can You Get Leg Pain With a Ventral Hernia?

A variety of symptoms, including several types of pain, is associated with a ventral hernia, which is a bulge or tear in a weakened area of the abdominal wall.

Some Patients Don't Have Pain

Although pain is common for hernia patients, some might experience only the bulge of the hernia itself and no pain with a ventral hernia, according to the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).

Types of Pain

Patients who do have pain—most commonly reported in the abdomen, leg or testicles—usually experience it as a sharp sensation or a dull ache, according to SAGES.

Referred Pain in the Leg

Referred pain—pain not at the site of the injury itself—occurs when "nerves are irritated and the pain travels along the nerve root to other regions supplied by the same nerve," according to the Hernia Center of Southern California. Referred pain is responsible for pain in the leg as a result of the ventral hernia.

Referred Pain with Hernia

When the bulge puts pressure on surrounding nerves, this causes the referred pain that patients feel in the thigh/upper leg or testicles, according to the Hernia Center of Southern California, despite the hernia being in the abdomen.

Activities That Cause Leg Pain

Hernia-related leg pain may be caused by a variety of activities, such as heavy lifting, straining during elimination, coughing, or spending too long sitting or standing, according to SAGES.

References

• Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons: Patient Information for Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair from SAGES
• Hernia Center of Southern California: Hernia Symptoms