”It is the most common disease in humans, with a conservative estimate of at least three million patients in China. Inguinal hernias can occur in both men and women, and the incidence is highest in elderly men. The characteristic manifestation of inguinal hernia is the protrusion of a mass in the groin at the junction of the abdomen and the root of the thigh when standing, which becomes more pronounced when exerting force or holding the breath, while it mostly disappears on its own after lying down. Many scientific articles talk about treatment, but here we change the perspective and talk about the causes and prevention of small intestinal gas. Inguinal hernia has congenital factors as well as acquired causative factors. First of all, inguinal hernia is a disease unique to humans. Mammals are all quadrupeds on the ground and the lowest part of the abdominal cavity is the umbilicus. Since humans have evolved into upright animals, the inguinal region has become the lowest part of the abdominal cavity and is subject to the greatest pressure; at the same time, the inguinal region lacks complete muscle coverage and has the spermatic cord or the round ligament of the uterus passing through it, so the abdominal wall gradually weakens with age and the incidence gradually increases. Some scientists theorize that if everyone lives to be 150 years old, no one will be spared from small intestine gas. Secondly, small bowel gas is more common in men and is related to the descending testes. The descent of the testes is accompanied by the formation of the sphincter, which usually closes after birth and is more likely to form a hernia if it does not close completely. The occurrence of inguinal hernia is also associated with genetic factors. The incidence varies among different ethnic groups and is relatively high in Uyghurs in China. There is often a family history of inguinal hernia, and it is not uncommon for both brothers or fathers and sons to occur. Other genetic factors include local anatomical structures and abnormalities in collagen metabolism, among others. Acquired factors are mainly diseases that cause increased abdominal pressure, the most common of which include chronic coughing and phlegm due to old age, chronic constipation, and difficulty in urination due to prostate enlargement. These conditions are very common in the elderly, and the relatively weak inguinal region cannot withstand the prolonged increase in abdominal pressure, which eventually leads to the development of small bowel gas. Other more common factors that cause increased abdominal pressure include heavy physical labor, cirrhotic ascites, pregnancy, etc. In addition, it is important to mention that although smoking is not associated with increased abdominal pressure, it can promote the development of inguinal hernia by affecting collagen metabolism, so the incidence of inguinal hernia is much higher in smokers than in nonsmokers. Knowing the causes of small bowel gas, we can talk about prevention. As an individual, congenital factors cannot be overcome, so prevention of small bowel pneumonia is mainly aimed at acquired factors, that is, avoiding the above causes of long-term abdominal pressure increase. For example, patients with chronic cough and phlegm should control their symptoms as much as possible to reduce the duration of chronic cough; those with constipation should eat more vegetables and fruits and honey to keep their bowels open and use laxatives if necessary; those with prostate enlargement should go to urology for timely treatment to improve urination symptoms, etc. In addition, proper exercise can maintain a certain muscle strength, and smoking as little as possible can also help to avoid the occurrence of inguinal hernia. Of course, inguinal hernia cannot be 100% prevented, and once it happens, it should be treated by surgery as soon as possible, as I always say: “A small hole is not mended, but a big hole suffers”. According to the current medical level of hernia specialists in Shanghai, 99% of inguinal hernia patients can be cured.