Post operative urinary retention ( POUR) is caused by sympathetic activation of the internal urethral sphincter after surgery. The smooth muscles of the around the internal urethral sphincter have been demonstrated to be rich in alpha-1 adrenergic receptors. Our research idea is novel because there has been no prior prospective study conducted using alpha-blockers to reduce post-operative urinary retention in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair. The proposed research is important as existing studies that sought to understand POUR have merely established the risks factors involved. Despite so, the incidence of POUR remains high and no studies to date have investigated the use of specific interventions to reduce the risk of POUR.