Can a Hernia Cause Erectile Dysfunction (ED)?

If you’ve ever had a hernia, a medical condition that causes internal organs to protrude outward, you may have felt too uncomfortable to have sex. But can a hernia cause erectile dysfunction (ED)? What about hernia surgery?

Having an inguinal or groin hernia or recovering from surgery for these issues could affect erectile function — mainly because of the location of the hernia. It’s a little too close for comfort.

Fortunately, various treatments can help. Keep reading to learn what a hernia is, how it impacts your sexual life, and what you can do to feel like yourself again.

A hernia is a bulge or swelling that happens when an internal organ protrudes through the muscle or tissue that contains it. It typically affects the area between the chest and hips, known as the abdominal wall.

There are many potential causes of hernias. For instance, they can result from weakened muscles and strain from lifting heavy objects. You can also develop a hernia — specifically an umbilical hernia — if you have an overweight BMI (body mass index) or a long-lasting cough.

Types of Hernias

Some common types of hernias include:

• Inguinal hernia. This type of hernia happens in the inguinal canal when fatty tissue or part of the intestine protrudes into the groin area near the top of the inner thigh. In men, the inguinal canal leads the spermatic cord (the cable-like duct running to and from the testes) and blood vessels to the testicles.

• Femoral hernia. A femoral hernia is part of the intestine or fatty tissue that pushes into the groin area, also at the top of the inner thigh. This type of hernia is less common than the inguinal variety and extremely rare in men.

• Umbilical hernia. This type of hernia forms when fatty tissue or part of the intestine pushes through the belly button or navel.

Hernias are fairly common medical conditions, and around 75 percent are inguinal. Roughly 80 to 90 percent of inguinal hernias happen in men, and only five to seven percent are umbilical.

Symptoms of Hernias

Hernia symptoms can vary by person and type. An umbilical hernia, for example, may cause a mild ache or pain that worsens when the abdomen is put under strain, like while lifting weights or running.

Common signs of an inguinal hernia in men:

• Groin pain

• Pressure in the abdomen

• A visible bulge or a bulge you can feel

• Tugging sensation in the scrotum

As you might guess, the symptoms of an inguinal hernia can differ between men and women

Do Hernias Require Treatment?

Hernias usually don’t go away on their own and often need surgical repair to heal. Although men may put off inguinal hernia repair surgery if they don’t have symptoms, hernias can grow and cause more complications over time, especially if left untreated.

There are two options for inguinal hernia surgery.

• Laparoscopic surgery. This minimally invasive inguinal surgery is a type of laparoscopic surgery, meaning small incisions are used in place of one large one. Recovery time is about two weeks.

• Open surgery. With open surgery, a surgeon makes a larger incision directly at the location of the hernia. This operation has a longer recovery time of four to six weeks.

With either type of procedure, surgeons sometimes insert a synthetic mesh to support the weak spot. This is called a hernioplasty.

Inguinal hernia repair is common, accounting for about 800,000 surgeries yearly in the U.S.

Seeing that an inguinal hernia is more common in men and impacts the area closest to your sexual organs, you may be wondering, Can an inguinal hernia cause erectile dysfunction? What about the surgical procedure to repair it? We’ll go over this below.

Before we answer this question, here’s some information on ED.

Erectile dysfunction happens when a man is unable to get and maintain a firm erection for penetrative sexual intercourse. It’s a common issue, affecting about 30 million men in the United States. ED can show up at any age but most often affects older men.

Contributing factors to erectile dysfunction range from psychological reasons like stress to underlying health issues like cardiovascular disease and low testosterone (sometimes called “low T”).

What about a hernia? Can a hernia cause erectile dysfunction?

Although hernias aren’t known to directly cause ED, some guys may experience sexual dysfunction after a hernia, particularly if they’re in pain.

A small study published in the International Journal of Urology found that just over 23 percent of hernia patients (both men and women) complained about preoperative sexual dysfunction — that is, before getting the hernia surgically removed.

We mentioned that another contributing factor to ED is low testosterone. But can a hernia affect testosterone levels? The short answer is no.

That said, some limited animal research shows that low T may increase the risk of developing a hernia due to reduced muscle mass. This could then cause pain that contributes to ED, but it’s a weak correlation.

For now, there’s not enough evidence to say a hernia has any impact on testosterone production.

People may also experience sexual dysfunction or chronic pain after hernia surgery. The above study found that 16 percent of patients had sexual dysfunction after inguinal hernia repair.

Pain During Sex

A 2020 review of 12 different studies on inguinal hernia surgery and men’s sexual health found that sexual dysfunction was an issue for five percent of male patients after hernia surgery. Meanwhile, nine percent experienced severe pain during sexual activity.

The pain during sex after surgery could be because of the mesh used in hernia repair. It might also be that a nerve is caught in the mesh.

Hardening of Soft Tissue in Groin Area

Surgical repair for an inguinal hernia may also impact sexual activity.

The mesh repair could lead to long-term tissue induration — that’s when soft tissue near the surgical site hardens. This could affect sexual function, according to a 2016 study published in the Central European Journal of Urology.

However, the same study shows that inguinal hernia surgery eventually improves sexual function compared to how things were before the operation.

Bruised or Swollen Scrotum

Bruising and swelling of the scrotum, base of the penis, and testicles can also happen to some patients after open or laparoscopic surgery for a hernia. But these symptoms should gradually fade on their own.

Can You Have Sex After Hernia Surgery?

There typically aren’t any medical or physical restrictions on sexual activity after surgery. Still, patients should let any pain or discomfort guide their decisions, as sex might be uncomfortable at first.

You should also consult your healthcare provider about the recovery process if you’re going through a hernia repair.

Though there have been reports of patients with pain after hernia surgery, the chance of an inguinal hernia causing sexual dysfunction is actually very low.

Despite being near the reproductive organs, the inguinal canal is separate, which means it has its own nerves. Luckily, this means the nerves in the inguinal canal are the only ones affected by an inguinal hernia and the surgery to repair it.

You may be more likely to experience pain or issues with sexual function if you don’t properly treat a hernia with surgery.

However, if you have symptoms of erectile dysfunction, you may want to look into other possible causes. Fortunately, ED is one of the easiest forms of sexual dysfunction to treat, either with FDA-approved medications, non-pharmaceutical treatments, or a mix of both.

If you’re experiencing ED after a hernia surgery, your provider may recommend different treatment options to improve your sexual function and quality of life. These can include ED medications, psychological treatments, or both. Your provider might also discuss prevention methods with you.

ED Medications

If hernia surgery has impaired your sexual function, your healthcare provider may prescribe oral medication. Options include:

• Sildenafil (the active ingredient in Viagra®)

• Tadalafil (generic for Cialis®)

• Vardenafil (Levitra®)

• Avanafil (Stendra®)

Viagra® (and generic sildenafil) is one of the most common medications on the market. Like other ED medications, it improves erectile function by increasing blood flow to the penis.

If you want to learn about other options, check out our guide on the latest ED treatments.

Pain Medication After Hernia Surgery

If you undergo hernia surgery, you might be instructed to take a painkiller to help with tenderness or swelling of the scrotum.

There are generally no drug interactions between pain medication and ED medication. But check with your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about taking one of these meds after hernia surgery.

Psychological Treatment

It’s possible that your ED symptoms aren’t solely the result of hernia surgery but rather a psychological issue, like depression or sexual performance anxiety. If so, there are treatment options to help you work through whatever’s going on.

These include counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), couples therapy, or sex therapy. Psychotherapy involves exploring the mental and emotional factors that contribute to ED and learning to change negative thought patterns.

ED Prevention

No matter what health issues you have or don’t have, you can always make lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of developing erectile dysfunction in the future.

These lifestyle habits include:

• Exercising regularly

• Following a healthy diet

• Maintaining a healthy weight

• Quitting smoking

• Drinking moderately

• Reducing stress levels

Explore the causes and treatments for temporary erectile dysfunction in our blog.

While having a hernia can undoubtedly cause pain or discomfort (especially if left untreated), there’s not much evidence that a hernia causes erectile dysfunction.

You might experience pain or discomfort after hernia repair surgery that leads to sexual dysfunction, but erectile dysfunction is a bit of a stretch.

Remember:

• A hernia doesn’t directly cause erectile dysfunction. However, hernias can cause pain that may impact sexual function.

• Hernia surgery might temporarily affect erectile function. Surgical repair for a hernia may cause pain or swelling that contributes to ED, but these symptoms should fade over time. Always consult your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing sexual dysfunction after surgery.

• Treatments for hernias and erectile dysfunction are available. They may include things like surgery, medication, therapy, or a combination of treatments.

In any case, your first step should be contacting a healthcare provider and telling them what’s going on. They can take a closer look at the symptoms you’re experiencing and help you find the treatment you need.

If you want to improve your sex life and address any roadblocks, start today with our quick virtual sexual health assessment.