You may not have any symptoms besides a bulge. Pain isn't the best indicator. Mine and others I know have had hernias and experienced no pain whatsoever. If you have a bulge GET IT CHECKED. If your intestine gets strangulated(sp?) you can have some pretty serious complications. And if you let it go and it blows through shredding the abdominal wall that can lead to a more painful and longer recovery. Better safe than sorry.