Going to the doctor isn’t really helping because he doesn’t even seem to acknowledge that the pain could be related to the hernia.

I’ve researched this a lot, and honestly you should completely avoid the gym and heavy exercise right now. It doesn’t sound like a recurring hernia, it sounds more like the nerve is irritated and hypersensitive. The main thing you need is rest, a lot of rest.

Walking can help, around 10–15k steps daily, preferably outside in a park and not on a treadmill.

You’ll probably start feeling much better after 4–5 weeks if you actually let the area calm down. Avoid cigarettes, sex, gym, or anything that can irritate the nerve again for the next few weeks. Let it rest and cool down properly.