ask: my financ'e has a hernia in his groin and I want to know is having sex harmful and painful for him

Hi Anon

Thanks for your question!

Let's talk a little about hernias - there are two kinds:

■Inguinal hernia—occurs when there is a weak spot in the area where the abdomen meets the thigh on both sides (most common type)
■Femoral hernia—occurs less frequently, located in the upper thigh

Which does he have?

In terms of treatment:
Most inguinal hernias require surgery. If it is a small hernia that can be pushed back into place, an external pad (called a truss) may be worn to provide support. Surgery is usually still needed at some point.

After surgery , hernias sometimes return, either on the same side or the opposite side. Hernia repair can cause pain and disrupt your quality of life, but these complications are rare.

Surgeries include:

■Herniorrhaphy —to repair the defect in the abdominal wall
■Hernioplasty—to reinforce the weak area with steel mesh or wire
■Bowel resection —to remove a section of the intestine, may be used when part of the intestine becomes twisted or blocked or turns gangrenous and dies
■Laparoscopic hernia repair—done through several tiny incisions in the groin or abdomen, recovery may be faster

Lots more can be read here: http://www.empowher.com/media/reference/groin-hernia

He needs to ask his doctor if having sex (for his particular case) could be harmful - we cannot answer that. As to whether sex might be painful - it could be. But he would be the one to tell you that as he'll figure out pretty quickly how much his hernia affects his sex life. Hernias can be serious, so a call to his doctor about these questions is a good idea.

I hope this helps and our best to both of you-
~Susan