Protrusion of the abdominal cavity contents through the inguinal canal is called inguinal hernia. Inguinal hernias are divided into indirect and direct, and direct are 4 times less common. Indirect inguinal hernia appears due to congenital weakness of the inner inguinal ring and can occur at any time during life. It is detected immediately after birth in 1% of boys, which is connected with descent of the testicles into the scrotum. Direct inguinal hernia is a consequence of the weakness of the bottom of the inguinal canal and at this point the inguinal wall is naturally thin. The anterior abdominal wall weakens with age and this type of inguinal hernia mainly occurs in the elderly. Symptoms such as pain, a feeling of heaviness in the groin, pain in the groin on exertion, bulging in the groin on exertion or in a standing position occur. According to world data, the incidence of inguinal hernia in the population varies between 2% and 4% and increases with age up to 20%. Of all hernias, 75% are inguinal (two-thirds indirect and one-third direct). Inguinal hernias occur 10 times more often in men (80-90%), while femoral hernias occur more often in women (75%). Risk factors include age, gender, lifting heavy objects, difficulty urinating, constipation, severe and prolonged cough, pregnancy, and obesity. Treatment of inguinal hernias is surgical because it will not recede spontaneously. The surgical method of treating inguinal hernias at children and adults is called hernioplasty and it is one of the most performed procedures of general and pediatric surgery. The aim of this paper is to explain the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of inguinal hernias.