Medical Questions » Hernia Questions » Question No. 511
| Question: | I have had a double inguinal hernia repair, and now the skin low down on my stomach is numb. Will this get better? |
| Answer: | If the operation was performed more than two years ago, the numbness will probably remain. If the operation has been more recent, there is some chance that sensation may gradually return.
When the operation to repair an inguinal hernia is performed, it is very easy for the surgeon to cut through the fine nerves that supply the skin of the lower abdomen. If this is done, the area of skin supplied by that nerve will become numb. The nerve may grow back after the operation, but if sensation has not returned within a couple of years, recovery is unlikely. The numbness does not cause any concern in most people, and is more a curiosity than an inconvenience.
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