Hernia symptoms: Swelling near the navel/ why a swelling near the navel could be a sign of Hernia | Is Health in You?
A hernia occurs when an area of a tissue or an organ pushes through the weakened layer of muscle, usually in the abdomen or groin. It can be external, pushing towards the muscles outside the body and noticeable under the skin, or internal, when pushing through different muscle layers deep inside the skin. There are several types of a hernia, and the swelling near the navel can be a sign of an umbilical hernia.
An umbilical hernia takes place when fatty tissue or a part of the bowel pokes through the area near your belly button, also known as Nabhi while pushing through the weak spot in the abdominal wall surrounding it. A severe case of an umbilical hernia is when there are defects in the anterior wall of the abdomen that is below the umbilicus. This ailment is commonly seen in the infants and newborns, but the adults can be affected by it too.
A hernia near your navel, or nabhi in english, looks just as a lump. For children, it becomes evident when he is crying, laughing, coughing or going to the toilet. It is not a painful condition in the infants and children. The adults, however, might feel the discomfort or pain if a hernia is large.
You need to see a doctor at the earliest if the swelling is too painful and there is vomiting along with the swelling. Check to see if the swelling is increasing or/and becoming discolored. You can also run a check as to whether you are able to push the bulge flat against your abdomen without experiencing tenderness or pain. If you feel pain while pushing the swelling flat against your abdomen, then your condition is serious, and a visit to the doctor at the earliest is a must.
The causes of an umbilical hernia differaccording to different age groups. In case of adults, the hernia near your naval can be the result of too much pressure on the walls of your abdomen leading to a part of the bowel or fatty tissue to poke through the muscles. The individuals who are at high risk tend to experience a high pressure in the areas where the parts of the gut or the fatty tissue protrude.In the children, the umbilical hernia is the result of incomplete closure of the opening for the umbilical cord at the time of the birth. This causes the part of the bowel or the fatty tissue to poke through leading to an umbilical hernia.
Some cases of umbilical hernia self-resolve and you do not need to undergo any treatment. For most infants, the hernia closes by itself at the age of one year. Surgery is only needed when a hernia grows after the child is two years old or is still present till the child is four years old. However, it might not be as easy in the case of adults. Surgery can help in the prevention of potential complications for the adults, especially if a hernia grows or begins to hurt.
The surgery for the treatment of an umbilical hernia is quick and small, and it is done for pushing the bulge back in the place and for strengthening the abdominal wall. A small incision is made at the base of the belly button to push the bowel or the fatty lump back in place.The person undergoing surgery can go back home on the same day.