General information only — not a medical diagnosis
Most people who suspect they have a hernia spend days searching online before they do anything about it. That's understandable — you're not sure if it's serious, you don't want to bother your GP for something that might resolve on its own, and getting a specialist appointment feels like a big step.
This tool changes that. Answer nine short questions about your symptoms and history, and we'll build a structured summary you can send directly to Prof. Ram via WhatsApp. He reads it and responds within one business day — no referral needed to start the conversation.
The service is available to patients anywhere in Australia via telehealth. For patients in Melbourne, in-person consultations are available in Coburg, Balwyn North, and Williamstown.
Hernia Symptom Screener
Step 1 of 9 — Location of the lump or pain
Your answers stay on this page until you choose to send them. If you send your summary, it goes only to the rooms of Prof. Ramana Balasubramaniam. Nothing is stored on this website, and no name or account is required. Privacy statement
Question 1 of 9
Where is the lump or discomfort located?
Choose the area that best matches what you are feeling.
Question 2 of 9
Can you see or feel a bulge?
A hernia often (but not always) produces a visible lump.
Question 3 of 9
Does the lump or pain change when you strain or stand?
Classic hernias enlarge with coughing, lifting, or standing and reduce when lying down.
Question 4 of 9
How painful is it?
0 = no pain, 10 = worst imaginable.
Question 5 of 9
Is the lump soft and reducible, or hard and stuck?
A hard lump that cannot be pushed back may indicate incarceration — seek urgent care if accompanied by pain, nausea, or vomiting.
Question 6 of 9
How long have you had these symptoms?
Question 7 of 9
Have you had any previous abdominal surgery?
Question 8 of 9
Any nausea, vomiting, or inability to pass wind?
These symptoms alongside a hernia may suggest bowel obstruction — an urgent surgical problem.
Question 9 of 9
Anything else you'd like Prof. Ram to know?
Optional — add any other symptoms, relevant history, or questions. Leave blank if nothing to add.
Your Symptom Summary
Sending via WhatsApp delivers this summary only to Prof. Balasubramaniam’s rooms. WhatsApp is a third-party service (Meta) with its own terms. Prefer not to use WhatsApp? Call +61 493 091 911 or email help@ramana.au.
This screener is general information only, not a medical diagnosis. If you have severe pain, vomiting, or a hard irreducible lump, go to your nearest emergency department or call 000.
Start over
👨⚕️
Prof. Ramana Balasubramaniam
MS · DNB · FRCS · FRACS · FACS · FIBC · FISA
Specialist hernia, abdominal wall reconstruction, and bariatric surgeon. 30 years of focused surgical practice. Founder of the AWR Surgeons Community (6,000 members). Rod Jacob Address, ANZHS 2025.
A hernia is a gap in the muscle wall through which tissue or bowel can protrude. The type is defined by its location. Prof. Ram performs open, laparoscopic, and robotic repair — the technique is chosen based on the anatomy, the patient's history, and the evidence.
Groin
Inguinal Hernia
The most common type. Open or keyhole (TEP/TAPP) repair depending on anatomy and history.
Midline
Ventral & Incisional
Through the front of the abdomen, often at a previous surgical scar. Rives–Stoppa or TAR for larger defects.
Navel
Umbilical & Epigastric
Small midline defects at or above the navel — most repaired as day surgery.
Complex
Recurrent & AWR
Component separation and TAR for large, recurrent or contaminated defects — a particular subspecialty of Prof. Ram's practice.
Diaphragm
Hiatal & Paraoesophageal
Hernias of the stomach through the diaphragm. Robotic and laparoscopic approaches available.
Groin
Femoral Hernia
Less common, higher risk of incarceration. Any groin lump deserves assessment.
Surgery at John Fawkner Private Hospital, Epworth Freemasons, and Northern Private Hospital (Epping).
Melbourne Hernia Surgeon
When should you see a hernia surgeon?
Most hernias do not resolve on their own and will enlarge over time. An assessment is appropriate if you have noticed a lump, experience groin or abdominal discomfort that worsens with activity, or have been told by a GP that you may have a hernia.
Urgent assessment is required if the lump is hard and irreducible, or if you have nausea, vomiting, or an inability to pass wind alongside a hernia — these symptoms may indicate incarceration or strangulation and require emergency care.
Prof. Ram sees patients across Melbourne and offers telehealth consultations for patients outside the metropolitan area. Full profile and referral information at ramana.au.
Common questions
Hernia questions — answered by Prof. Ram
The questions patients most often ask before their first appointment.
You do not need a referral to contact Prof. Ram directly via WhatsApp using this screener. However, a GP referral is required for Medicare rebates to apply to your specialist consultation. Prof. Ram's rooms can advise on the referral process after your initial contact.
A hernia typically produces a bulge or lump at the affected site — most commonly the groin, belly button, or a previous surgical scar. The lump may be soft and reducible (pushes back in when you lie down) or firm and persistent. It often aches or causes a dragging sensation, particularly after standing, lifting, or straining. Some hernias cause no lump at all — only discomfort.
Hernias do not resolve on their own. The muscle wall defect that causes the hernia will not close without surgical repair, and most hernias enlarge gradually over time. The decision about when to operate depends on symptoms, size, type, and the patient's overall health. Not all hernias require immediate surgery, but all deserve specialist assessment.
A hernia requires urgent emergency care if the lump becomes hard, cannot be pushed back in (irreducible or incarcerated), and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, inability to pass wind or stool, or severe pain. This may indicate strangulation — a surgical emergency where the blood supply to the trapped tissue is compromised. Call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department immediately.
Both laparoscopic and robotic repairs are minimally invasive keyhole techniques with small incisions and faster recovery compared to open surgery. Robotic repair uses a surgeon-controlled robotic platform that provides enhanced three-dimensional visualisation, greater instrument precision, and more refined tissue handling — particularly beneficial for complex or recurrent hernias. Prof. Ram performs open, laparoscopic, and robotic hernia repair, choosing the approach based on the anatomy and clinical situation.
Yes. Prof. Ram offers telehealth consultations for patients anywhere in Australia. This allows an initial assessment of your symptoms, imaging, and history before deciding whether in-person review or surgery in Melbourne is required. Use the symptom screener on this page to start the conversation via WhatsApp.
Prof. Ramana Balasubramaniam consults at three locations in Melbourne: Balwyn North (345 Doncaster Road), Coburg at John Fawkner Private Hospital (275 Moreland Road), and Williamstown (87 Ferguson Street). Surgery is performed at John Fawkner Private Hospital, Epworth Freemasons, and Northern Private Hospital in Epping.
Privacy & about this service
What this service is. Melbourne Hernia Care (herniahelpline.au) is a patient information and symptom-assessment service provided by the practice of Prof. Ramana Balasubramaniam, specialist general surgeon, Melbourne. It is not a public health service, not an emergency service, and not a staffed 24-hour helpline. Completing the screener does not make you a patient of the practice and does not replace a consultation. In an emergency, call 000.
What we collect and why. The screener runs entirely in your browser: your answers are not transmitted or stored unless you choose to send your summary. If you send it, the summary (and any contact details you include) is received by Prof. Balasubramaniam’s rooms via WhatsApp and is used only to respond to your enquiry and advise whether an assessment is appropriate. It is not used for marketing and is not disclosed to anyone outside the practice. If you become a patient, relevant information forms part of your medical record and is handled under the practice’s obligations as a health service provider under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.
WhatsApp. WhatsApp is a third-party messaging service operated by Meta; messages you send are end-to-end encrypted but are handled under WhatsApp’s own terms and privacy policy. If you prefer not to use WhatsApp, you can phone the rooms on +61 493 091 911 or email help@ramana.au.
Access, correction and complaints. You may ask what information the practice holds about you, ask for it to be corrected or deleted, or raise a privacy concern by contacting help@ramana.au. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (oaic.gov.au).