INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Though hernias can also occur after surgery, inguinal hernias are by far the most common type of hernia. This is the hernia in which a weak point in the abdominal muscles allows internal organs to bulge out of the abdominal cavity. Although anyone can get a hernia, there are certain at-risk groups that are more likely.  Men are nine times more likely to get a hernia than women.  Men between the ages of 40 and 59 are particularly at risk of hernia. People who regularly do heavy lifting, like weightlifters and manual laborers are also at increased risk. Although women are at a lower risk of hernia, you should still know the categories of women who most often get them:  Taller women Women with chronic cough Pregnant or obese women who may get an umbilical hernia  "Femoral hernias" tend to cause bowel blockage in women. Surprisingly, obese and overweight men are not at risk of inguinal hernia. This may be due to a sedentary lifestyle that avoids heavy lifting.  Tobacco and alcohol use also have no effect on inguinal hernias. Inguinal hernias present as a bulge in the groin that gets worse when straining. Activities that can worsen the bulge include constipation, lifting heavy objects, manual labor, or coughing and sneezing. This bulge is actually the organs in your abdomen poking out through weakened muscle tissue. Usually, you can manually push them back into the abdomen by applying pressure. Trouble starts when you can no longer “reduce” the hernia or push it back behind the abdominal muscles. Other symptoms of hernia include:  Pain that can be described as pulling, tugging, or burning. It can feel worse after physical activity. Pain relief when lying on your back, when organs are restored to their rightful place. Possible gurgling sound when bowels are in the hernia. Rigid bulge: If you can't push the hernia back in, the bowels may have become trapped, or "incarcerated." Incarcerated hernias require emergency medical care. To diagnose a hernia, the doctor will first look for a bulging area about the size of a golf ball in the groin, next to the hip bone. He'll have you lay back to see if the bulge recedes on its own when you lay down. He may manipulate the bulge manually to see if the hernia can be pushed back behind the abdominal wall. If the intestine is present in the hernia, the doctor will be able to hear gurgling with a stethoscope. With male patients, the doctor may try to feel the hernia from below to confirm its presence. He will press a gloved finger up through the loose scrotal sac. Then, he'll ask you to cough or bear down like you're making a bowel movement. If you have a hernia, he will feel it hitting his finger firmly. The doctor will check both sides of the scrotum to be confident in the diagnosis. In the majority of cases, the doctor will be able to diagnose a hernia through a simple physical exam. In some cases, though, the hernia may be difficult to diagnose. If he's not confident in his diagnosis, the doctor may order an ultrasound that will visually confirm the hernia. The procedure is relatively cheap and non-invasive. If you have a small, asymptomatic hernia, the doctor may just send you home with instructions on how to monitor the hernia's status. In most cases, the hernias resolve on their own without surgery. If you observe worsening symptoms, you may need to get surgery. Surgery is recommended for patients with large hernias that present with multiple symptoms. People who have recurrent hernias after an initial surgical repair also need surgery. Pregnant women and women who've previously given birth are at higher risk for recurrent hernias. Incarcerated hernias are a surgical emergency and need immediate attention. When this happens, the bowel gets blocked and strangulated, cutting off blood flow.

SUMMARY: Determine whether you’re at risk. Learn the risk factors for women. Take note of common misconceptions about risk factors. Look for the symptoms of an inguinal hernia. Get a physical examination from a doctor. Allow the doctor to examine the hernia through the scrotal sac. Have an ultrasound done if necessary. Discuss your options with your doctor.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Usually the drain of a washing machine is a pipe behind the machine that the hose on the machine pours into. The hose is sometimes attached tightly to the drain or the hose may simply be pushed inside of it. When identifying where the drain is, you will need to differentiate it from the hot and cold water lines coming into the washer. The hot and cold water lines should be smaller than the drain pipe and they may be marked with the colors red and blue, to show which is hot and which is cold. If your washing machine is draining slowly but it is not completely clogged, you can try simply pouring very hot water down the drain to clear it out. This can release built up soap and scum that is narrowing your drainage pipe.  If you run your washer on hot most of the time, then this may not work for your drainage problem, as you have been doing this repeatedly. However, if you only run cold cycles, then pouring hot water down the drain may be worth a try. In areas that freeze during the winter, drainage pipes can freeze and get blocked up with ice. If your area is frozen and you think you have a clogged drain, try pouring hot water down the drain to get rid of any ice that may have accumulated. If your washing machine drain is clogged, one way to clear it is to use a commercial drain cleaner. In general, these products can be very helpful for minor clogs but have limitations when it comes to unclogging a completely clogged pipe. When buying a commercial drain cleaner, be sure to get one that is safe to use with your specific type of pipes and your type of drainage system. Some strong products that contain sulfuric acid can actually damage PVC pipes and they are generally not good for the environment as well. To use a commercial drain cleaner, you will need to detach the drain line from the machine and put the cleaner straight into the drain. On some machines you can simply pull the tube coming off the machine out of the drainage pipe. On some, however, you will need to unscrew the drainage tube from the machine at the bottom of the back of the machine. If you are doing this, be prepared for some water to come out of the machine and the hose to the drain. This usually begins by pouring the product down your drain with some very hot water. Then you will need to wait a specified amount of time for the product to do its work. Finally, you will need to flush the drain once the product has had time to clear it.  Be sure to rinse out the drain cleaner after the specified amount of time. Leaving it on too long can damage the pipes.

SUMMARY:
Find the drain. Pour hot water down the drain. Buy a commercial drain cleaner. Detach the drain. Follow the directions on the packaging.