Hernia scare

[kzndr]

About ten days ago, I was performing what was for me a heavy deadlift (130kg) under the supervision of a coach when I felt a piercing pain near groin, as if someone had inserted a needle into my muscle, kind of between my hip and pubic bone. I immediately halted the exercise, and the pain went away. Several days later, having felt no pain or other symptoms in the interim, I began warming up my deadlift. On the first rep of a warm-up at 70kg I felt a sensation like a piece of Velcro coming undone in the same area, though it didn’t hurt. I immediately stopped once again, though performed some other exercises with no symptoms.

I went to see a doctor, who upon hearing the above description said he thought I may have a hernia. He performed a manual check and found nothing and so ordered an ultrasound, which also found nothing.

He didn’t provide me much further in the way of guidance — said I was free to return to exercising if I’m not experiencing pain, and that if something happens and I can feel/see a bulge I’ll know to come to him for a hernia.

I’m very nervous about attempting another deadlift. In the meanwhile, I have done some other exercises (squat, bench press) at moderate loads with no issue. I have the slightest feeling of some kind of sensation in the area, but it’s not painful and now I can’t really tell if I’m just imagining it.

From the guidance I’ve read elsewhere on the forums, it seems like if the hernia is going to happen, it’s going to happen. So should I just return to my normal routine? Take a few days off as a precaution? Return with some very light deadlifts? With no symptoms, I’m finding it hard to judge how to proceed. Everything feels fine but now I’m scared I’ll attempt a deadlift and cause a hernia.

I’m a 35 y/o male, 6’0”, 189 lbs, have recently started on the novice progression

[Johnsonville]

If it’s gonna happen it will happen one way or another, taking time off shouldn’t help anything. If you do end up with one follow everyone’s advice on here and get both sides fixed and find the best hernia surgeon you can find. It’s an easy surgery and quick recovery when there aren’t complications.