I have a hernia (unfortunately!) and currently wear truss for comfort.

When the TSA pats me down and finds this bulging packet on one side, does that mean they're going to have to strip search me?

It probably wouldn't look good on the scanners either.

Get ready for a visit to the creepy private room. I hope for your sake I am wrong. Its sad that people already suffering from legitimate medical conditions get punished further for the "privilege" of flying.

I have discovered some large hernia's in the patdown process. To make this easier on you though, I would suggest following your doctors advice on the truss and if you get pulled for additional screening due to AIT showing something or the WTMD alarming or something similar, inform the officer right up front that you have a hernia and if you are wearing the support truss for it. You may be required to submit to a private screening so that it can be checked. You are not required to remove it UNDER normal circumstances. I hope that answers your questions.

Yeah tell them in advance and maybe have a dr's note?

I think I'd rather skip all the scanners and groping and go straight to the private screening where I can just pull down my pants and show him.

Sorry, I'm confused on what "normal circumstances" are? What's "normal" about any of this?

I'm curious about the truss...

Given my experience with an inguinal hernia (saw my Doc, was referred to a surgeon, had it done within a few weeks) you'll forgive me for thinking "trusses" were something from the past...

Are they used while waiting for treatment - or is the condition considered permanent and the truss likewise?? Just curious!

You know, they really ought to let insurance reimburse part of the plane tickets in those cases...

It was very minor in the beginning, it didn't bother me and I put it off. Then I was out of work and I lost my health insurance. Even though I had coverage when I got the initial injury, after even a one-month lapse in coverage, it became a pre-existing condition that I'd have to pay for myself. So you could say "waiting until I can afford treatment." Since we spend well over half our federal money on fighting terrorism, we had to chintz on the health care, so I guess I'll have to wait and see if it's affordable when this new health care thing gets put in place. Otherwise, the condition might be considered permanent until I qualify for Medicare. I'm sure I'm not the only one; I'm sure there are plenty of people out there using trusses. [But this is all off-topic.]

Given where hernias usually are, I sure would prefer you meant "I learned of" or "I was told of", and not "I discovered some"...