The signs and symptoms of a hernia can be as simple as detecting a painless lump or as severe as discovering a sensitive, painful and inflamed protrusion of tissue that cannot be pushed back into the abdomen (an incarcerated strangulated hernia).

Reducible Hernia

It might hurt, but it is not painful to the touch.
It could show up in the groin or another area in the abdomen.
Occasionally, pain comes before finding the lump
The lump gets bigger when standing or when there is abdominal pressure, such as that associated with coughing.
It can be reduced (pushed back inside the abdomen) except when it is extremely large.

Irreducible hernia

An irreducible hernia is also called an incarcerated hernia.
It can be an aching enlargement of a formerly reducible hernia that is unable to be returned into the abdomen by itself or by pushing it.
Some might be persistent, but painless
Symptoms of bowel obstruction might present themselves, such as vomiting and nausea.
It might result in strangulation, in which the bloods supply is cut off to the tissue in the hernia.

Strangulated Hernia

The individual might seem ill and a fever may or may not be present.
There is pain, then soreness and occasionally there are symptoms of bowel obstruction (vomiting and nausea).
This is an irreducible hernia where the entrapped intestine has its supply of blood cut off.
This constitutes a medical emergency requiring surgery.