I had an inguinal hernia, five years ago in my lower right abdomen with a noticeable bulge. And honestly I didn't feel it much, but I heard it varies depending on the location, and the individual. My surgery went well, although it took me the full 6 months of recovery before I didn't really feel it and wasn't terrified about lifting anything semi-heavy. Honestly, I haven't gone super super heavy at the gym since then.
What you have could just be an abdominal muscle strain, but worth checking out if it persists for several weeks.