<s>[INST] Hi, I believe I have an inguinal hernia on my left side. I believe I have had this since I was a 15 yr old gymnast. I am now 31 and have had 2 children. Since the birth of my 2nd child the pain in the left side has at times been awful. I am a runner and have run 2 marathons (post children). I rarely see a bulge there anymore but it can be uncomfortable to cough at times. There are some occasions where I feel no pain at all. About a year ago I had an ultrasound and they couldn t find anything. I refuse to be cut open unless the dr is sure that there is in fact a hernia. I have also had 2 miscarriages this past year, and feel like the pain is getting worse. My ob has checked me for cysts and any other gynelogical problem and I am all clear, but I am desperate for answers. We wa t a 3rd child very badly, but I wonder if this needs to be fixed first, but what is the best way to go about diagnosing a hernia if the bulge is not present very often? [/INST] hi there, nice to meet you in healthcare magic, am dr.surendiran hernia progress in size,if you wont get a proper treatment, the decrease in the strength of the lower abdomen results in the fall of the abdominal content ,results in hernia dont worry lot of techniques to treat hernia, consult a surgeon about hernia repair,they guide you straining,,increases its recurrence. remedies to prevent recurrence 1Maintain a healthy weight 2 avoid straining 3Get plenty of fiber 4Be careful when lifting heavy objects 5Quit smoking hope i helped your query regards dr.surendiran hcmagic </s>