Patient guide · Hernia surgery

Chronic groin pain after hernia repair — and how to reduce the risk

By Mr Trif Papettas FRCS, Consultant Colorectal & General Surgeon · Reviewed August 2026

A small number of people notice groin discomfort that lingers after inguinal hernia repair. It is one of the most important things to understand before surgery — because a good deal of the risk can be reduced by how the operation is planned and performed.

How common is it?

Some degree of lasting discomfort affects roughly one in ten people after inguinal hernia repair. In a smaller group — a few per cent — it is troublesome enough to interfere with everyday activities. Encouragingly, chronic groin pain tends to ease with time, and is measurably less common several years after surgery than in the first year or two.

What causes it

The main contributors are irritation of the small nerves that run through the groin, mesh-related discomfort, and — importantly — pain that was already present before surgery. Understanding the likely source guides both prevention and treatment.

How the operation itself reduces the risk

• A keyhole approach. Keyhole repair — particularly the totally-extraperitoneal (TEP) technique — is associated with less chronic groin pain than open repair.
• Careful nerve handling. Identifying and protecting the groin nerves, and avoiding trapping them, is central to preventing lasting pain.
• Gentle mesh fixation. Using minimal, atraumatic fixation — avoiding unnecessary tacks or sutures near nerves — and an appropriate soft mesh reduces irritation.
• An experienced, high-volume surgeon. Meticulous technique from a surgeon who does a lot of this work is one of the strongest protective factors.

What you can do

Tell your surgeon about any groin or pelvic pain you already have before the operation, as pre-existing pain is a key predictor. Afterwards, build activity back up sensibly rather than all at once, and don't ignore pain that is worsening rather than settling.

If pain does persist

Most early discomfort fades over the following months. Where pain lingers, it is assessed properly and there are effective options — from physiotherapy and targeted injections to, in a small number of cases, further surgery. Lasting pain is uncommon, and rarely without a path forward.

Common questions

Mr Trif Papettas FRCS

Consultant Colorectal & General Surgeon at Nuffield Health Warwickshire Hospital, Leamington Spa. Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, JAG dual-accredited in colonoscopy and gastroscopy, with a large personal case volume in open, keyhole and robotic-assisted hernia repair — including complex and recurrent cases.