I'm a 29M who had a right inguinal hernia repair with mesh back in 2012. It went relatively well although I ended up needing another surgery to remove adhesions that were causing pain. I was also very overweight at the time.

So 11 years had gone by with me feeling awesome. I lost a lot of weight and had a tummy tuck surgery a little over a year ago, and that was my 4th abdominal surgery (not sure if that's important here)

Yesterday I was at the gym doing deadlifts and on my last rep I noticed a weird feeling in the same exact spot as my first hernia, right in the corner of the right side of my groin.

I've examined myself multiple times to see if I feel a lump or bulge but I can't feel anything. I do have a throbbing/aching pain that comes and goes. Nothing really makes it worse or better although pressing on the area is slightly painful.

Are recurrent inguinal hernias common? Is there anyway to tell the difference between pulled muscle or hernia?

I'm not sure if I need to go to the doctor this soon or not. Last time I saw 6 different doctors and had multiple CT scans for them all to say I didn't have a hernia, then after going to a 7th doctor I did, in fact, have a hernia lol