“Should I go to doctor for possible hernia?”

Thank you for requesting information on a possible hernia. The small raised central straight line up from your umbilicus towards your chest seems to me to be the "linea alba" (white line) that separates the right and left sides of your abdominal muscles. The tiny "bump" looks not like a hernia, but perhaps a defect or tear in the rectus abdominis muscle on that side, which is similar to a hernia. It seems more likely that the situation is one of either a torn muscle, or muscles, or a severely strained one. You should rest your abdominal muscles (no snowboarding; no abdominal exercises like crunches or sit-ups); seek medical attention where an ultrasound can be done of your abdominal wall; and wear an abdominal binder until the situation is resolved. An abdominal binder is a velcro like "girdle" that you can buy at any pharmacy without a prescription; I recommend that merely to maintain the integrity of your abdominal muscles until someone can actually make the correct diagnosis. Good luck! Kenneth D. Candido, M.D. Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology-UIC Pain Fellowship Director & Pain Clinic Medical Director Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management ASIPP Board of Directors CEO & President of Chicago Anesthesia Associates CEO & President of Chicago Anesthesia Pain Specialists Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center 3000 N. Halsted St. Suite 823 Chicago, IL 60657 Phone: (773) 296-7937 Fax: (773) 296-3995 kdcandido1@gmail.com *kdcandido@yahoo.com <kdcandido@yahoo.com>*