Painful Bulge On My Lower Abdomen

M

Michael Crump

New member
I have a bulge on my lower abdomen which is very painful. It is located below my bellybutton to the left. It is quite big and is only noticable when I stand up straight. It feels soft and when pressed in it slowly bulges back out to it's original shape again. It can be uncomfortable in every day life and only hurts whenever I do jolty excersizes such as running or jumping. It is a very harsh stabbing pain which prevents me from walking naturally and running in general. It is more visually noticable when it hurts than when it doesn't... when it doesn't hurt, all I can see is a line which looks like a vein. If I lay on my back and feel my belly, it feels very different from the right side of my abdomen - I noticed the right side is nice and smooth, whereas the side with the lump on it feels rough and unnatural. If I tense my abs, each side of my abdomen looks the same.

I first encountered this exact pain in the same place when I was about 13 years old during a P.E lesson and it still hurt when I excersized on rare occasions. I did to go the doctors about it back then and he couldn't feel anything. I am 18 now... the bulge only started to appear a few months ago and it hurts all the time when I excersise. I did go to the doctors again recently, but the unfortunately the buldge was not visible at this time and all he could see was the vein - I told him the possibility of it being a hernia and he was adamant that it wasn't. I am thinking of going back soon, but with the buldge being much more visible.

Health Information:

I am underweight, my BMI is 15.
I don't smoke or drink.
I had a hernia operation when I was 5.
My bellybutton is an outie.
 
Having that early hernia surgery left a weakness that can allow the hernia to return. Seems likely that's what's going on.

It's good that the bulge comes and goes. That means the protruding intestine won't lose blood supply. But you must get a doctor to pay attention to this before it gets more serious. Definitely go again when the bulge returns. If the doctor pays no attention again, get another opinion.
 
I appreciate the feedback :)

the hernia I had when I was 5 was much lower down than where my bulge is now, it was in the groin area. When I suggested to my doctor not long ago that it might possibly be a hernia, he explained to me that it was very unlikely for me to get a hernia in that location for my age. I will definitely take your advice though and see him when it is more obvious, then maybe he will change his mind haha, so thanks :) I am not looking forward to having an operation done though, I have a really bad phobia of being sick - does anybody know anything I can ask for which will help prevent it when I wake from anaesthetic?
 
Ok... I assumed you had an umbilical hernia as a child, which is the most common kind for that age.

It may be rare for a grown person to have an umbilical hernia, but it's not impossible.

At your young age, I would guess you haven't encountered too many doctors who've made errors. Many 'new' adults like you even mistakenly believe that doctors know everything. Believe me... They don't. Something that's causing you the kind of pain you describe needs thorough investigation. I hope it turns out to be nothing serious, but don't let yourself be talked out of finding out for sure.
 
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