Female Scans
Hernia
A lump in the groin or abdomen that comes and goes, or a dragging ache when you lift, cough or stand for long periods. A hernia ultrasound examines the abdominal wall while you are lying down, standing and straining, which is exactly when hernias show themselves. Carried out and reported by a qualified sonographer in Great Yarmouth, usually within a few days of booking.
Prices from £175
Hernia​ Private Scan Norfolk
What Is A Hernia Scan?
A hernia happens when tissue from inside the abdomen pushes through a weak point in the muscle wall. In men the groin is by far the most common site, because of a natural weakness left where the testicle descended before birth. This scan uses ultrasound to look at the abdominal wall in real time. A small handheld probe is moved over the area of concern while you lie flat, and then again while you strain, cough or stand up. There is no radiation and no injection.
The real time part matters more for hernias than for almost any other scan. Many hernias slip back inside when you lie down and only appear under pressure, which is why a lump you can clearly feel at home can seem to vanish in a clinic. By scanning during a cough or strain, the sonographer can watch the tissue move through the defect as it happens, confirm whether a hernia is present, measure the gap in the muscle and see what is passing through it. It is equally useful for confirming that a lump is not a hernia, which changes what happens next entirely.
Included in your scan
What’s Covered
- The area of concern: the groin or abdominal wall region where you feel the lump or pain, examined at rest and during straining.
- Type of hernia: inguinal, femoral, umbilical, epigastric or incisional, identified by its location and behaviour.
- Size of the defect: the width of the gap in the muscle wall, which is useful information for any surgeon.
- Contents: whether the hernia contains fat or bowel, and whether it slides back in freely.
- The other side: in groin examinations, a check of the opposite side, as hernias are frequently present on both.
- Alternative causes: if no hernia is found, an assessment of what the lump actually is, such as a cyst, lipoma or lymph node.
Registered & Regulated
Norfolk Medical Imaging is registered with the Care Quality Commission and every scan is performed by a sonographer registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. The person who scans you is the person who reports your images and explains what they mean. Nothing is sent anywhere to be read.
Hernia​ Private Ultrasound
Who is it for?
Hernias show themselves in different ways, and some cause pain long before a visible lump. If any of these fit, a dynamic scan gives a definite answer.
A Groin Lump
One that appears on standing, coughing or lifting and softens when you lie down.
Pain When Lifting
Heavy lifting, manual work and gym training. Some hernias ache before they bulge.
Belly Button Lump
Umbilical and epigastric hernias appear in the midline. A scan confirms and sizes them.
Bulge Near a Scar
Incisional hernias can appear months or years after abdominal surgery.
Scrotal Swelling
Showing whether a swelling is a hernia from above or a separate scrotal problem.
Before or After Surgery
Confirming the diagnosis before referral, or checking a possible recurrence.
Hernia​ Private Ultrasound Norfolk
What To Expect
This is a dynamic scan, which means you take an active part: coughing, straining and standing while the sonographer watches the abdominal wall work in real time. That is what makes the diagnosis reliable.
Duration
Around 15 - 20 minutes. Allow up to 30 minutes at the clinic, with time to talk through what has been found before you leave.
Preparation
None at all. There is no need to fast or fill your bladder, so eat and drink normally. Wear clothing that allows easy access to the area, such as trousers that can be lowered slightly for a groin examination.
What the experience is like
Warm gel is applied and the probe is moved over the area while you lie flat. You will then cough, push out your stomach and usually stand while the scan continues, as some hernias only appear against gravity. Point out exactly where you feel the lump or pain. Nothing hurts.
Upper Abdomen
What to expect
Prices From £175
One price covering the scan, the sonographer's time and your written report. No consultation fee and nothing added on afterwards. If we recommend looking at another area on the day, we will tell you the cost before we do it.
Book Upper Abdomen Scan Now
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This is precisely what the dynamic part of the scan is for. Straining and standing will usually bring a hernia out even when it has slipped back inside, and small defects in the muscle wall can be seen even when nothing is passing through them at that moment.
Not necessarily. Many hernias, particularly small ones containing only fat, can simply be monitored. The decision rests on symptoms, size and type, and it is made with your GP or a surgeon. What the scan does is give them precise information to base that decision on.
That depends on what the scan shows, and it is a question the findings genuinely inform. A small fat containing hernia is a different conversation from a larger one containing bowel. The sonographer can explain what has been found, and your GP or surgeon can then advise on activity with the full picture in front of them.
It can identify features that matter, such as bowel within the hernia and how freely the contents slide back. A hernia that suddenly becomes hard, very painful and will not go back in may be strangulated, which is an emergency. If that happens, do not book a scan, go straight to A&E.