A hernia usually happens in your abdomen or groin, when one of your organs pushes through the muscle or tissue that contains it. It may look like an odd bulge that comes and goes during different activities or in different positions. It may or may not cause symptoms, such as discomfort or pain. Hernias can be repaired with either open or laparoscopic surgery. During open surgery, the surgeon makes an incision close to the site of the hernia, and then pushes the bulging tissue back into the abdomen. They then sew the area shut, sometimes reinforcing it with surgical mesh.