Umbilical hernia: symptoms, causes, to treatment

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Definition of an umbilical hernia

What is an umbilical hernia?

An umbilical hernia or bulging belly button is a condition when part of your intestine protrudes through the umbilicus opening in the abdominal muscle wall. Navel hernias are common and usually harmless.

This condition is most common in infants, but can affect adults as well. In infants, umbilical hernias are clearly visible when the baby cries and causes the baby's navel to protrude.

An umbilical hernia appears as a painless lump in the navel or surrounding area. Hernias can enlarge when laughing, coughing, crying, going to the toilet and can collapse when resting or lying down.

In most cases, the bulging navel can re-enter and the muscles will close before the child is one year old. Umbilical hernias can also appear in adults. Without treatment, the bulging navel can get worse over time.

How common is this condition?

Umbilical hernias can occur in patients of any age. This condition can be treated by reducing risk factors. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Signs & symptoms of an umbilical hernia

What are the signs and symptoms of an umbilical hernia?

An umbilical hernia causes swelling or a soft bulge in the navel area (umbilicus). If your baby has an umbilical hernia, the bulge only appears when the baby cries, coughs, or strains. Bodies can disappear when the baby is calm or lying down.

Even adults can experience this condition. The symptoms are the same, namely swelling or a bulge near the navel area that can be painful. Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, hernias that appear as adults can cause abdominal discomfort.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

You should contact your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms.

• The baby looks in pain.
• The baby starts vomiting.
• The lump becomes painful, swollen, or changes color.

If you have any signs or symptoms above or any other questions, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition.

Causes of an umbilical hernia

What causes an umbilical hernia?

During pregnancy, the umbilical cord is connected to a small opening in the abdominal muscles of the fetus. This hole usually closes after delivery. However, if the muscles don't fuse at the midline of the stomach, weakness in the abdominal wall can cause a hernia.

An umbilical hernia can appear when fatty tissue or parts of the intestines protrude into the area near the navel. Meanwhile, in adults, hernias generally form due to excessive pressure on the abdominal muscles.

Possible causes in adults include:

• obesity,
• multiple pregnancy,
• fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites),
• previous abdominal surgery, and
• chronic peritoneal dialysis.

Risk factors for an umbilical hernia

What increases my risk for an umbilical hernia?

Navel hernias are most common in babies, especially premature babies and those with low birth weight. Dark-skinned babies appear to be at higher risk, but the condition affects boys and girls at an equal ratio.

In adults, factors that can increase the risk include:

• female gender,
• excess body weight,
• multiple pregnancies,
• multiple pregnancy (twins),
• stomach surgery,
• a hard cough that doesn't go away, and
• stretch when moving or lifting a heavy object.

Complications of umbilical hernias

What complications may occur from an umbilical hernia?

Here are the complications that may occur if you have a bulging belly button.

• Obstruction, which is a condition when part of the intestine gets stuck outside the stomach. This condition causes nausea, vomiting, and pain.
• Strangulation, which is a condition when part of the intestine is trapped so that the blood supply is cut off. This condition requires emergency surgery within a few hours to release trapped tissue and restore blood supply.
• The surgery will remove the bulging belly button and prevent complications. However, bulging may come back after the operation is performed.

Medication & treatment of umbilical hernias

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition diagnosed?

The doctor can perform a physical examination to determine whether a baby or adult has an umbilical hernia. The doctor will see if the hernia can be pushed back into the abdominal cavity.

In babies, the doctor will check whether the umbilical cord is trapped or trapped. This is a serious complication because the trapped part of the intestine can lack blood intake. This can cause permanent tissue damage.

The doctor may also order an x-ray or ultrasound (Ultrasound) of the abdominal area to confirm any complications. The doctor can do blood tests to look for infection, especially if the intestines are blocked or trapped.

How are umbilical hernias treated?

Most umbilical hernias in babies close on their own by one or two years of age. The doctor may push the protruding navel back into the abdomen during a physical exam.

However, don't try it yourself. While some say that a bulging navel can be repaired by sticking a coin to the lump, this is unhelpful and can collect germs and cause infection.

For children, surgery is usually done for an umbilical hernia that:

• felt hurt,
• a diameter greater than 1.5 cm,
• are large and do not shrink after the first 2 years,
• stuck or blocked intestine, or
• affect the blood supply to the intestines.

In adults, surgery is usually recommended to prevent the risk of complications, especially if the umbilical hernia is enlarged and painful.

Reporting from the UK National Health Service, bulging navels may not get better on their own when you get older. You also tend to have a higher risk of complications.

If you have a bulging belly button that needs to be treated with hernia surgery, here are the steps you will be going to skip.

1. Operation process

The nurse will ask you to fast before the operation is performed. Generally, surgery is performed under general anesthesia. This means that you are unconscious during the procedure and will not feel any pain.

During the operation, the doctor will make a small 2 cm incision at the base of the navel. The herniated tissue is inserted into the abdominal cavity, then the hole in the abdominal wall is sutured.

The weakened lining of the abdominal muscles is also sutured to make it stronger. In adults, surgeons wear a kind of covering called a mesh to strengthen the abdominal wall.

The surface wound is then closed with sutures that can be removed with alone or special surgical glue. The operation will usually last 30 minutes. However, the patient will be unconscious for approximately two hours.

Both adults and children are usually allowed to go home the same day after surgery. You may feel a little uncomfortable as the recovery progresses, but this is normal.

2. After surgery

Pain and discomfort are normal effects after umbilical hernia surgery. To fix this, the doctor will inject a local anesthetic or provide painkillers.

Children may be sleepy or cry a lot and may need extra attention after having belly button surgery. This is very natural and will pass by itself.

Your doctor may recommend that you stay overnight in the hospital if you have certain medical problems. However, if there are no conditions that have a major impact on the results of the operation, you can undergo a recovery period at home.

3. The recovery period

You may experience bruising and pain around the wound area while you are recovering at home. This condition is very normal and will usually last up to one week.

Your doctor may advise you to take painkillers, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, or aspirin. Keep in mind that children under 16 years of age should not be given aspirin.

Adults or children should take one to two weeks off from school or work. Most people can return to normal activities after one month of surgery.

Home treatment of umbilical hernias

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat this condition?

Here are the lifestyle and home remedies that can help you treat a hernia in your navel:

• If you are overweight, try to lose weight slowly.
• Don't try to move or lift heavy objects.

An umbilical hernia is a bulge in the abdomen due to weakness in certain parts of the abdominal muscle wall. This condition is usually harmless, but in certain cases it may need to be treated with surgery.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.