Herniated Belly Button

Belly button hernia is an abnormal protrusion of the abdomen, which is manifested in the navel portion. In some cases, herniated belly button is a congenital problem, present at birth. While others are acquired later at birth, after exposure to certain stressful factors. The size of navel hernia may vary with respect to the cause, level of stress and other aspects. Even though, it is not a very serious condition, correct diagnosis and timely hernia treatment by a qualified physician are imperative for some patients.

Herniated Belly Button: Basic Information

In an individual with herniated belly button, the navel ring is not closed properly and some intestinal portion is pushed forward beyond the abdominal wall, over the navel or umbilicus. Thus, the belly button appears as a raised portion from the surrounding skin areas. Besides this unsightly swelling, umbilical hernia symptoms are rarely painful. Overall, this type of hernia is more common among infants than adults. For your reference, herniated belly button in infants, adults and women after pregnancy are highlighted below.

Herniated Belly Button in Infants
Umbilical hernia is common in both baby boys and baby girls. Amongst the reported cases, some herniated navel in infant are congenital problems, especially those manifested in boys of African descent. In most infants, the condition is manifested after one week of delivery, and usually resolves on its own as the child turns 4-5 years old. This hernia type is most prominent when the baby cries, coughs or strains due to some discomfort situations. Most likely, the bulged part will become normal as the baby returns to a relaxed state.

Herniated Belly Button in Adults
In adults, the occurrence rate of belly button hernia is two times more in women, when compared to that of men. Similar to infants, umbilical hernia becomes prominent after exposure to increased stress and pressure in abdominal area. Taking this into account, hernia of the navel usually develops in people, who have a medical history of obesity, prolonged cough and physical stress. Also, athletes who indulge in lifting heavy objects are susceptible to this condition.

Herniated Belly Button after Pregnancy
Development of umbilical hernia is not unusual in women, who have been through multiple pregnancies. The causes of hernia are quite obvious, stretching of the abdomen during pregnancy and labor strain at the time of delivery. Nevertheless, women who deliver baby with cesarean section may also develop post delivery umbilical hernia. And those who have had untreated hernia from before are more likely to develop belly button herniation during pregnancy than others.

Herniated Belly Button: Treatment

Therapeutic intervention for umbilical hernia is necessary, only when it causes discomfort symptoms, persists even after the baby turns 4 years old and also, if the size increases with time. Needless to say, the risk of strangulating a herniated belly button is related to the hernia size at the base. If it is small, then chances for cutting of blood supply to the pushed intestinal part are higher. For such umbilical hernia symptoms, treatment is essential at the earliest possible date to avoid complications.

As with other types of hernia, surgery is the only reliable treatment approach for umbilical hernia. The herniated belly button surgery can be done by means of traditional method or less invasive laparoscopic procedure. In either of the techniques, small cuts are made and candidates can return home on the same day itself. During the hernia surgery recovery time, postoperative care, like regular dressing and not lifting heavy objects are intimidated by the surgeon to avoid infection and ensure complete healing of the wounds. Most probably, the doctor will prescribe medications to combat pain symptoms.

On the concluding note, medical experts opine that about 90 percent cases of herniated belly button disappear within 3 years. Also, as mentioned already, navel hernia in infants resolves as they grow older. So, the doctor is the best person to examine and confirm, whether hernia repair surgery is crucial for the patient or not.