Huh? A Bulge and Discomfort in Your Groin?! We Asked COKU Nishinomiya Keiaikai Hospital’s Inguinal Hernia Specialists【Nishitsu Ad】

Out of the blue, but have you noticed a small bulge near the top of your thigh?

The top of your thigh is here↓

This area is called the “groin”, and apparently there are quite a few people who have a little bulge there. In Japanese, it’s written as 鼠径部

It’s just above the top of the thigh. When a round swelling appears here, it’s called an “inguinal (groin) hernia.” Apparently, 27% of men will develop one at some point in their lives, so many men over 50 may have some idea what this is. (For women, it’s 3%)

After looking it up online, it seems leaving this untreated isn’t really a good idea. Now I’m curious and want to learn more～～～

Oh, there’s a hospital beyond the Gate Building at Nishinomiya Gardens, isn’t there～～～!! Did everyone know about this～??

It says Nishinomiya Keiaikai Hospital. Come to think of it, I feel like it’s been there for a while…

Here it is on the map↓

The address is 7-5 Fukazu-cho, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.

When you step inside the entrance…

It says Nishinomiya Keiaikai Hospital COKU(Kokuu).

Official website↓

Treatment for inguinal hernias

Isn’t this a super specialized hospital～～!

*Normally, everyone inside the hospital wears a mask. They removed them specially for this interview～

Keiaikai Hospital itself has been a long-term care hospital since 2012, and COKU is a hospital facility that just opened in December 2023 as a surgical specialty center for inguinal hernias and related conditions.

Oh, right.

Some of you may have seen this flyer～

So, since we’re curious about that bulge near the top of the thigh, let’s ask a specialist doctor all about it～.

We spoke with Dr. Otsuka, Chief Director of COKU at Nishinomiya Keiaikai Hospital～.

*This bulge on Shachomi is for staging purposes and is not real

Here’s a basic question. What exactly is an inguinal hernia?

An inguinal hernia is a condition where contents from the abdominal cavity protrude through a hole in the abdominal wall. Mainly, abdominal fat or the intestine can come out.

What! Is that actually the intestine?!

Having your intestine come out sounds painful. What are the symptoms like?

Many people have no symptoms, or only mild discomfort or a sense of swelling. However, it can sometimes become a serious condition where the intestine gets trapped(incarceration), and in that case, urgent treatment is needed.

So leaving it alone really is a bad idea… What causes an inguinal hernia?

As people age, various parts of the body become weaker. In men, there is an area of the abdomen that is naturally somewhat weak, and this can make them more prone to developing an inguinal hernia. In fact, about 85% of people who develop inguinal hernias are men.

Um, I’m only cross-dressing, and I’m actually a man. Does that mean I’m also more likely to get an inguinal hernia?

Yes. Unfortunately, your risk is exactly the same as other men.

How do you treat an inguinal hernia?